The Link Between Us
by MissPadfoot101
Summary: Ranger and Stephanie are hired to capture a man, "The Link." In the process, their paths meet once again. He doesn't want to lose her, and she has a secret. A secret that talks, dances, and calls her mom. Some Humor Babe Story. Joe friendly.
1. The Past

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. I do own Sofia.

Chap 1. The Past

I just have to say, thank you Joleen for editing this for me. I hope you guys enjoy it.

"Mon coeur, mon amour…" Sofia sang as we sat in the car. She was using her binoculars to spy on our latest cheating husband in a small neighborhood in Brooklyn. My ass was numb from the two hours of sitting while waiting for something to happen. Sofia kept singing softly. What she was singing? I didn't know since I don't speak French. While waiting for her to change the music, I reflected on my friend. She's very different from Lula. Sofia, a New York City bounty hunter and part-time private detective, is half-Arabic and half-Latin. She has long yet black hair, which falls into waves flawlessly over her shoulders and down to her waist. I still wonder why we became such good friends. I guess it's because Sofia is eclectic, always surprising, never boring. She was accepting, and understanding. In Sofia's life, there are not limits to anything. There's only freedom, a world full of possibilities. The freedom I always craved and I never could get in the 'Burg.

I started thinking about what brought me to this place sitting by Sofia. It all started with me breaking up with Morelli, the day before we were to be married, which made it permanent. I left a note on his kitchen counter detailing the reasons why I couldn't marry him. I took Rex and few pieces of clothing in a duffle bag and went to Ranger's apartment.

I didn't tell Ranger my plans. I just told him I wasn't going to marry Joe because it wasn't fair. I begged him to make me forget the pain. I wanted him to take me into his arms and squeeze me. I was hurting Morelli even though I loved him. I still love him. I'm just not _in love_ with him. I tried to seduce him, but I think he just took pity on me and carried me to his bed. We made love and he asked me to say his name, to call him Carlos. I screamed his name before I collapsed on him. The pain was forgotten. A few hours later, half way through our lovemaking I told him that I loved him and he froze.

I thought everything was going to hell from then on, but my words fueled the passion we felt for each other (at least that's how I want to remember it). We came together and he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close to him while I cried. In the morning, he went running and I came down to the fifth floor to say goodbye to the Merry Men. I didn't tell them I was leaving forever. I left and I didn't look back.

It was a week after I left Ranger that I met Sofia. I was having lunch in small café in Portland, Maine. Then, suddenly I heard gunshots. I saw the commotion. She said 'bond enforcement' and I was up. I didn't even stop to think about it. It came naturally. She shot me by accident. She took me to the hospital, yelled at me for jumping in the line of fire, and asked me if I needed a place to stay. I still have the mark on my arm as souvenir.

A month later, I learned I was pregnant. Just my sweet luck! I knew for sure that I couldn't go back home, I couldn't face him. Nonetheless, I knew I had this wonderful token of what we had that night and I wasn't going to give it up. Therefore, when I left Trenton four years ago, Sofia was like an angel fallen from heaven. I was searching for a new life, a way to hide away from my past, from…Ranger. She gave me a new social security number with the name of Michelle P. Mazur on it, and instantly I had a new life. My dad is the only one who knows where I am and why. Although he doesn't like it, he understands and supports me.

"Yep, he's cheating," Sofia raised her Nikon D90 and started taking pictures of a man swallowing a woman in red. This is just one of the things we do as private investigators. I was coming along because my expertise of finding cheating husbands. I rolled my eyes unconsciously.

Sofia looked at me funny, a sly smile playing on her lips. She put down her camera and started the car.

"You're very silent Steph," she said as she turned in the next intersection.

"Ricky's birthday is coming up," I told her. I really do not know why I said that, my son's birthday was a month away. I guess I just wanted to keep my thoughts to myself. "Could we pass by Starbucks? I want one of those new lemonade drinks."

"Stephanie, I know very well what's on your mind" she scolded me. "If he's still looking for you, it has to mean something."

"I wish he would just give up," I said, but I didn't truly mean it. Ranger has been looking for me since I left four years ago. The search was intense at first. I had to stop using my credit cards. I didn't know how much longer the whole cat and mouse thing was going to last. I knew at one point they had found me, but then I met Sofia.

"Right," she hissed, "they are just one bridge away, querida."

I knew better than to argue with her, she knew all of my secrets. She is my only confidant. She knows that sometimes I bring Rex and Ricky into my room so I don't feel alone. Once when I was sick with the flu, she spent the whole night listening to me mumble in my sleep about how much I miss my family. She buys me a bottle of Bvlgari for my birthday every year. I spend Christmas with her family. She taught my son Spanish for God's sake!

Sofia's pager went off; she looked at it and frowned. She made an illegal u-turn while looking at her phone and cursed.

"What's wrong?"

"Marcus is dead," she hit the palms of her hands on the stirring wheel and pressed her foot down on the gas. The car yanked forward burning rubber.

"This is fucking atrocious!" I cried. I couldn't believe it, "a good cop is now dead, and three dirty cops are still out there helping The Link. How can these things happen?"

When we arrived at the crime scene, it was noon. The car where the body was found was parked on Riverside, overseeing New Jersey. Sofia walked under the police tape and showed her identification to one of the cops. I saw her greet Marcus's brother, Samuel, another vice officer. A few minutes later, they both started walking towards me.

Samuel greeted me with a nod of his head, "we have a problem." I noticed he looked shaken, making him appear years older than he was, and scared.

"Marcus' daughter has disappeared." My eyes widened, and I bit my lip hoping it was only coincidental. Leticia is only sixteen.

"Michelle, Marcus thought Leticia's boyfriend was working for The Link." Samuel said desperately. "Marcus was going to confront him, tell him to back off. He left the house and didn't come back. Leticia disappeared a few hours later. She asked her mother if she could go to the movies with her boyfriend, but she hasn't returned."

I wanted to curse, punch something, or even kill someone. A young girl, a girl I know, might have fallen victim of human trafficking.

"The boyfriend's name is Louis F. Kennel," Samuel said. "Marcus thought he was supposed take a group of girls off to New Jersey."

Sofia opened Kennel's file and gave it to me.

"Samuel wants us to help. Kennel's from Trenton," she flipped the page and showed me his address. He was from the 'Burg. "You know Trenton, you know the 'Burg. I think it's time to go back home."

I looked from Sofia to Samuel. There was hope and expectation in their eyes. I looked down at the file again. Looking at the picture of Leticia, I knew I couldn't refuse. Well, it was time to face my fears. It has been a long time coming.

Stephanie: Please leave a review

Sofia: Yes, you should.


	2. Reconnecting

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The copyrights belong to Janet Evanovich. I only own Sofia...I think. **

Chap 2. Reconnecting

Thank you Joleen for editing this for me, and thank you all for the amazing reviews.

Steph's P.O.V

I spent the week running around, doing errands, and preparing for our departure. My apartment was packed, cleaned, and ready for the new tenant. Sofia and I went shopping, spending the day before our departure on Thirty-Fourth Street. We shopped all morning until we no longer could take the heat. My style has definitely changed. I dress more like a New Yorker, if such thing exists. New Yorkers have an eclectic taste. I actually think I look better than before. My body has changed little after having Ricky, but that had more to do with all the hard training, exercise, and my work. I threw myself into an intensive training after giving birth to my son. I didn't want him to be an orphan so I knew I had to do something to insure I was always successful. In addition, I work with Sofia now, so I had to step it up a little. We are like the female version of Men in Black, minus the aliens.

I dropped Sofia at her mother's house and drove back uptown to pick up my son. As I pulled up in front of the building that Doña Ana lived in, I called her and told her I'd be waiting outside. Ana is a Cuban woman around her late fifties, light skin, and average height. She baby-sits in her own house, and has a license for it. She takes care of three kids, including my Ricky. The woman is amazing with kids, makes a magnificent flan, and has a rule of only speaking Spanish at her house. It was perfect! My son could practice his Spanish and learn about his father's heritage. Sometimes it makes me cry when I hear him speak Spanish with other kids or especially with adults. It's music to my ears. Its funny when people hear him, they always look at me, and wonder how he knows Spanish so well for a kid his age.

Ana came out the door, and my son ran ahead to greet me. The other two kids, a boy and a girl, came out to greet me as well so I got out of the car.

"Doña Ana, how are you?"

"I'm doing well, sweetheart," she said kissing my cheek. "Your son is always full of surprises."

I glared at my son with disapproval. He gave me his best puppy eyes, and a little quiver of the bottom lip. I wasn't falling for it.

"What did he do?" I asked, expecting the worst.

"Don't worry," Anna chuckled. "Nothing I can't handle. Carlitos (little Carlos) makes my day every day. He's just too smart for his age, and he's a picaro* that one. He's going to be a ladies man."

_Yeah, don't I know it? _I looked down at my son and could see Ranger in his face. My heart broke for a little more for the love I left behind and the love that Ricky would never know.

"Ana, thank you for always loving my son. Sofia and I are running an investigation in Trenton. We are moving to Trenton for hopefully only a few months."

She looked at me with surprised eyes. Taking a deep breath and she sent the eldest child with some dollars to buy ice cream from the vender stationed in front on the next building. We watched them go, far but not too far for us to lose them.

"Does it this mean you're not bringing me Carlitos anymore?" she inquired. One look in her eyes and I felt guilty.

"Well, Doña Ana," I looked at the floor. It was like talking to my mother. "I am going for an investigation and I don't know how long it's going to take. Then, there's my family. There so many things I have to fix. I don-"

"No, don't worry dear. I think it's good, and I think…" she paused, "well he has been talking about his father more than usual. Maybe he can finally meet him."

"God, I know," I whined, putting my hands over my face. My son asks about his father all the time. I never hid anything from him. I told him about Ranger and about his job, all I know about him. Unfortunately, it's not enough for him. It's never enough.

"He likes to talk about him because the kids talk about their dads," she explained. "I went through the same thing when I was a kid, and I didn't even like my father."

I nodded. She was right.

"I hope you come back," she said giving me a hug. The kids were coming back with little ice cream cups in their hands so she quickly said. "I'll be praying for you and Carlitos. If you decide to come back to the Manhattan, I'll still be here."

Ana gave Ricky a hug and explained to the kids that he was going on a trip. They said their goodbyes and she told me to come back in the morning before I left for New Jersey.

-rs-

The next morning I drove by Ana's house and she gave me a flan, a Cuban recipe book, and gave Carlitos a small black pendant.

"It's an Azabache," she said, "to protect him for the mal-de-ojo, the evil eye."

Great! This means Latin people can get the evil eye too –my poor son. I thanked her. God, I'm going to miss her! At least I was going to share a house with Sofia until the investigation ended. Maybe she could teach me some of the stuff in the recipe book. Sofia had someone drop her car at the house she rented for us. I am not sure of what are house looks like; I just know that it's ten minutes away from Trenton. I wanted to go back home, but I didn't want to be too close to the 'Burg. For his sake, I needed to keep Ricky's existence as quiet as possible. He's going to be the talk of the 'Burg once everybody finds out. I can already see the look on my mother's face. I can hear the rumors. 'Stephanie Plum ran off somewhere to have an unknown man's son.' Or 'Stephanie Plum ran off to have the son of a married man.' It could be worse. I winced.

"Buenos días, Carlitos," Sofia sang as she put her guitar on seat next to Ricky.

"Buenos días, Tia Sofia"

"Buongiorno Steph," she gave Ricky a kiss and claimed to the seat next to me.

I smiled while looking first at my hamster and son sitting in the back seat, then at my half-Arabian/half -Latina friend and kick ass bounty hunter sitting next to me. I am ready. I can do this! I have been driving a used Honda Civic for a while now and I haven't blown it up. I amazed myself with that thought. I chuckled. Sofia glanced at me, totally amused.

"What? I want to laugh too," she whined sarcastically, "tell me what's so funny."

"I haven't blown up a car since I left Trenton" she arched a curious brow.

"Are you planning to blow it up when you get there?"

"That's the thing," I said casually, "I never plan it. It just happens. I probably blew up more than ten cars while in Trenton. I told you about this, they called me the Bombshell bounty hunter."

"Alright, note to self. Do not leave Ricky in the car with Steph while in Trenton," Sofia said. I glanced over at her, she was actually writing it down on her notepad. I couldn't complain though, it was probably the best idea. I tried to shake the thought of Ricky sitting in my car while it burned.

"Good idea, don't leave him in the car."

Uh oh, my usually talkative son was being very quiet. I looked over at Ricky through the rear-view mirror and I couldn't believe my eyes. I stomped my foot on the brake. Sofia gasped in surprise when the car screeched to halt in the middle of traffic. I quickly tried to find a safe spot to pull over.

"Carlos Ricardo! How dare you?" Sofia shifted her body to look at Ricky and started laughing so hard I thought she might have stopped breathing. I pulled into a gas station and stopped the car. Then, I put my hands on my head and banged my head against the steering wheel.

"Did you eat the entire flan Carlos Manoso?" I inquired with demand in my voice. I counted to ten. When I looked up my son had his puppy-eyed face again and tears were pooling in his big blue eyes. Sofia was trying to calm her laughter. Ricky was covered in flan crumbs, and his hands and face were sticky. He even had flan in his hair!

"I saved some for you ma," he half whispered offering me what was left of the flan.

"Ricky, you shouldn't have eaten all of that!"

"But it's so good," he said with his soft, heartbreaking little voice. _Yeah it's good. You ate it all and I wanted it for myself._ I didn't tell him that though.

"Eh eh, look at you! Te ves pegajoso (you look sticky)," Sofia managed to say. She took her camera out of her messenger bag, and snapped a few pictures of him.

"Ricky, eating too much of that stuff can make you sick!" Gee, I sound life Ranger. I most have said that at loud because Ricky and Sofia looked at me with curiosity. I just ignored it and cleaned Ricky up before driving across the bridge towards Newark.

We stopped at some of Sofia's relatives in Newark for the night before driving to Trenton the next day. I needed one more day to prepare myself. My son and I had one room, and Sofia shared a room with her cousin. I helped Ricky shower and prepare him for bed before making a long over due phone call. I think he had a sugar crash because he dropped fast asleep once his head hit the pillow.

"Dad," I said when he picked up. "Guess who?" He was surprised to hear my voice.

"Michelle. Is this really you?" My dad knew the name I was using to be free. Since he called me that, I knew that my mom was close by. "Is everything ok?"

"Yes dad everything's okay. I just needed to hear your voice. How is everything there?"

We talked for a few minutes while I tried not to give much information. I had sent him letters masquerading as bills through the years, this way we kept updated without my mom finding out. My father knows everything that happened to me. He sometimes would pretend to go work and drive all the way to New York. Even though these visits were a little tricky, we managed thanks to Sofia. She helped me erase my tracks until I learned how to erase them myself.

My father loves Ricky, and it warmed my heart to see them together. Because my son is a Yankee fan and my dad a Mets fan, they often ended up arguing about which team is better. Ricky always won, of course. Granted, Ricky only knows what Sofia and Ana have taught him about baseball. This past year my dad even took Ricky to a few games.

Lester's P.O.V.

The call came in around ten. It was hellishly encrypted. I don't know who Bombshell has encrypting her phone, but that person is good at his job. I never even heard about encrypted lines before I started working at RangeMan. It might take us hours to figure it out, even with all the professionals on our side. The boss rushed to the control table. He looked calm, but the lines in his eyes said otherwise. I felt bad for him. I still admire this man, but I hope I never end up losing the person I love because of my job. Actually, he said it was because of his job, but something told me it was something else. Stephanie didn't care about his job. In fact, her job was even more dangerous than Ranger's was. She worked alone. He has a whole team.

_"Dad," I said when he picked up. "Guess who?"_ Stephanie's familiar voice filled every corner of the room. It has been a long time since the last time we heard her voice.

"_Michelle. Is this really you?" My dad knew the name I was using to be free. Since he called me that, I knew that my mom was close by. "Is everything ok? Do you need me to drive you somewhere?"_ Aha, Mr. Plum is pretending she is one of his clients.

"_Yes dad everything's okay. I just needed to hear your voice. How is everything there?"_

_"Mrs. Plum is fine," Mr. Plum sighed. "Of course her mother is still driving me crazy; you should have taken her with you."_ Steph laughed softly, her laugh eased everyone in the control room. It was nice to hear it.

_"We miss you, honey,"_ he whispered. We miss her too Mr. Plum.

_"I miss you too daddy," she responded, "but you won't have to wait long. I think we can arrange something."_ I saw Ranger's eye widened. He stood straighter, like a watchdog. We were all wanted to hear the plans.

_"Really? Honey, I can't wait!"_ _Frank Plum exclaimed._ There was a sensation relief in the air.

_"How's that man of yours?" Mr. Plum asked few seconds later._ Seriously, I think if a pin had been dropped that moment, we would have heard it. We all wanted to look at Ranger. I glanced at him through the corner of my eyes. I think he wasn't breathing.

_"He's sleeping," Steph yawned. "I'm not very happy with him. I think he's cheating on me with my co-worker, and he ate my flan. But I think I'm more upset about the flan."_

This is sad. It's sad even if the person is cheating on her. Bombshell had moved on. Hell, the cop had moved on, even if though it took him two years. Ranger is the only one still lurking the shadows and dwelling in the past.

_"I told you to be careful with him," Mr. Plum sounded amused. "He's a womanizer! Honey, I have to go, your mother is giving me the glare. She might get suspicious."_

_"You know what, its okay daddy. Tell her I say hello after you hang up. I love you."_

_"I love you, pumpkin," and they disconnected._ When I looked up, Ranger was already hurrying to the elevator.

"Somebody call me when the line is traced," he ordered. "Lester! I want surveillance in front of the Plums' house all day tomorrow, and I want you to follow Mr. Plum wherever he goes."

Carlitos: I'll give you flan if you leave a review.

Steph: What should I tell Ranger? I think my life will be in danger; he's probably going to hate me.

Sofia: Seriously, people, I just want to keep this child alive for a few more years. I'm his Tia.

Steph: Thank you for your appreciation and your lovely comments.

;)


	3. Breaking and Entering

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in the Plum series. Those are copycright of Janet Evanovich.

Chap. 3 Breaking and Entering

Thank you ladyofkeegan, for editing this chapter. Thank you everybody for the amazing comments and reviews. This chapter was particularly hard to write. I thought it was too long. Please tell me what you guys think.

Steph P.O.V

_Eat Sofia's mouthwatering pancakes then head to our new house._

_Get some money to buy Ricky's birthday present._

_Get Rex a new cage. _

_Beg my mother to forgive me. _

_Beg my friends to forgive me. _

_Find Louis F. Kennel and Leticia. _

_Ask Morelli to forgive me. _

_Introduce Ranger to his beautiful son with the hope that he will not hate me for the rest of my life. _

I don't think I'm normally the 'To Do List' type, but it's definitely stress relieving. When I finished talking to my father last night, I tossed the cell phone in the garbage. If the line were traced, RangeMan would follow a phone on its way to the local dump. Ranger is the last thing on my list, out of pure procrastination.

After eating a hardy breakfast, we packed up, thanked Sofia's cousins, and then headed out. We were on our way out of Newark, when a familiar black truck followed by two black SUVs passed right by us. I hoped it was just a coincidence.

"Why is he still looking for me?" I asked in frustration.

Sofia's eyebrows knitted together, her lips making a thin line, confusion written all over her face. She glimpsed at the rear-mirror. Ricky was fast asleep and resting his head on her soft guitar case.

"Please, explain."

"Did you see those black SUVs and the truck?" She nodded.

"I think they are looking for me," Sofia's mouth formed a 'oh,' but she kept her eyes on the road.

"I have a few theories."

"Amuse me"

"He loves you, and I think he feels alone," she said gently. In my mind, I couldn't see how that was possible. Ranger is mister 'I'm-always-alone-because-my-life-is-too-dangerous-and-I'm happy-this-way.' I grimaced at the thought, no committed relationship. He likes to keep his distance.

"I doubt it," I said, a mixture of feelings playing in my stomach. If he feels lonely, he is not alone on that one.

"Think about it," she insisted. "He knows there's a chance he won't find you when he gets there, but he tries anyways. He might also find out that you have moved on, but he tries anyways. He wants to be with you, he needs you."

"Nice try," I mumbled. She laughed softy and dropped the subject.

"Carlitos, despierta (wake up)," Sofia called my son, looking at him through the mirror. He moaned, fluttered his eyes at his adopted aunt, and went back to sleep.

"Steph, I worry about him," Sofia half whispered to me. "Has he ever seen pictures of his father?"

I froze for a few seconds, thinking. I shook my head.

-rs-

The new house was wonderful. We had a room for each of us. It had a nice living room, a small backyard, one bathroom, and a kitchen in which I hope to finally learn to cook some stuff. Ricky tried to help me unpack his room when the furniture arrived, but something kept bothering me. I told him to stop and had him sit down on my lap. I took a deep breath then I gave him a picture of Ranger.

"This is your father," I told him ruffling his hair; "this is Carlos."

He put the picture against his chest and walked up to the mirror. He looked at his reflection and then he examined the picture. It broke my heart.

"He looks like me," he squealed in delight. "Mom, we're the same."

"I know," I choked. I don't know how Ranger's going to react when he finds out. The last time we spoke, he didn't want any more children. He could go ballistic for all I know. It has been four years, almost five! A few tears started rolling down my cheeks and I quickly wiped them away.

"Listen," I sighed placing my hands on his shoulders. "I know you can't wait to meet your daddy, but it might take a while. Your daddy doesn't know about you yet, and it's complicated. I need to talk to him before anything happens, okay?"

"Do you think he will like me?"

"He'll love you," I told him, and I was sure about it. "What's not to like?"

Ricky looked at me then at his picture of his dad. He kissed me then ran off to go show the picture to Sofia.

I used the quiet to think about the next item on my list, getting money for Ricky's birthday and a new cage for Rex.

I was doing well with my two jobs –full-time private investigator and part-time bounty hunter –but my son's birthday was coming up. I put most of what I had on my account as down payment for the house. I figured I would have to go to the bond's office to find some work, but going to the bond's office requires applying number five on my list, 'beg my friends for forgiveness.' I wasn't ready for that yet.

I figured I could procrastinate a little by finishing the unpacking, so I left going to the office for after dinner when it would be closed. We enjoyed our day in our new home.

I figured I could procrastinate a little, so left for the office after dinner. The office would be closed by now. I told Sofia where I was going, gave Ricky a big wet kiss, and headed out. I drove around Trenton for a while, revisiting familiar streets. I would die for Boston Creams or Tastycakes, but I couldn't risk being seen. My mother would flip if she doesn't get to see me first.

I parked behind the office, and picked the lock. The office looked about the same as when I left. I looked through Connie's records in search of a few easy bonds. I figured I would find the FTA's tonight then bring the receipts back tomorrow and beg for forgiveness. I found a few perfect candidates, but I had one problem. I needed Connie's signature to approve the apprehensions. I thought, for a minute, about faking her signature. I mean, what harm could be done? I looked through her desk for a pen and I saw she had a stack of files on her desk marked, Ranger. I flipped through them out of curiosity. After all, snooping is the child of breaking and entering. Ranger's paperwork was already done. I found it rather surprising to find a few low bonds. I took two, and I left Connie and Lula a message on a sticky note posted on the computer's screen.

_Please don't hate me._

_We'll see each other soon._

_I love you both._

_Stephanie Plum._

_P.S. I took some of Ranger's files. I like the curtains._

Stephen Ballet, a wife beater, has been arrested twice. I silently thanked Vinnie for letting him out, idiot. He owns and rents out the hall of a local senior center, fifteen minutes away from the office. I found an event calendar in the file. He will be there to open for a celebration tonight. I glanced at the time on my dashboard.

-rs-

I pulled up in front of the banquet hall and studied the picture of Stephen Ballet. He is a thin, tall, and wimpy looking man. How could this man be a wife beater? I examined the picture in the file and the man now standing in front of the hall of the senior center, smocking a cigarette.

"Stephen Ballet?" I asked.

"Yes, that's me," he replied. "Anything I can help you with?"

"Yes, I'm a bond enforcement-," and he turned on his heel and started towards the building.

God, I hate running! I started running after him and reached him right at the entrance of the hall. I could see from my vantage point that the room was packed. The center was hosting a baby shower. I felt awful for disturbing. I grabbed Ballet's shirt with both hands and pulled him back, out the door, with my weight. Ballet turned around to face me, and threw a punch at me. I managed to block it while I punched him, then I kicked his nuts. He looked at me startled; surprised I might say that I fought back. He tried to run towards the parking lot next door, but he fell on the ground holding his crotch.

Wow! I can't wait to tell Sofia about this. I'm actually a horrible fighter. Even after all my training with her, I still can't fight. I could probably fight against a punching bag, but hitting other people has almost the same level of discomfort as using my gun. I avoid fights. I'm not even strong enough to carry out a proper fight. Ballet wasn't expecting me to fight back, but he made me angry. It gave me an advantage. I don't like going around ruining someone else's baby showers. Idiot!

I looked up to find a crowd looking at me, even more people coming out of the hall.

"What in the world is going on here?" an angry voice asked behind me.

"Bond enforcement! I'm really, really sorry," I said straightening myself. I briefly glanced at the crowd without recognizing any faces. I turned to apologize and found myself standing right in front of Joseph Morelli.

"Cupcake," Joe whimpered when he saw me.

"Hey Joe," I said softly. He didn't look angry or upset, but he looked like he had seen a ghost. I probably appeared the same way. Joe still looks as handsome as the day I left. I tried to hold myself up, but my knees kept shaking. My skip was still rolling on the floor, now yelling things at me but I couldn't care less. Okay, I told myself, keep it cool. Do something, keep yourself busy and this will be less stressing.

"Give me a second," I said, and I pulled Ballet into a standing position twisting his arm back in the process. Since the fight was over and nothing was happening, the crowed started scattering and going back inside. Morelli stood there watching me closely. I needed more time. He looked like he was about to explode. I cuffed my skip, and pulled and pushed him towards the car. When I was sure he wouldn't be going anywhere, I came back to face Morelli.

"Stephanie Plum," he yelled. "Have you…Did you…?" Silence had fallen. He made a gesture of anger, and grunted exhaling through his teeth. I couldn't help but smile. It has been almost five years; Joseph Morelli was still the same with me as he was before.

"This is not funny, Steph."

"I see you haven't changed much," I told him. I saw hugely pregnant woman came out of the hall. She was blond, about my height, but I didn't recognize her.

"Joe?" she said. "Is everything alright?"

Morelli turned to her and took a deep breath. He took her hand in his and pulled her closer to us.

"Amy, this is Stephanie," he introduced me. "Stephanie, this is Amy, my wife."

I unconsciously flinched at the mention of the word 'wife.' I was supposed to marry Joe four years ago. I stared at her huge belly. I couldn't help feeling a bit jealous, but happy. Joe is a wonderful man, but not the one I really want. I thought about my son.

"Oh my god," I exclaimed a few seconds later. "I'm so sorry. I hope I didn't ruin your shower." I hit my forehead with the ball of my hand. I hope she wouldn't think I have done this on purpose. I could see the rumors in the morning –'Stephanie Plum came back to ruin Amy Morelli's baby shower.' She seemed to take my panic as genuine because she smiled at me.

"Actually," she said relief in her voice, "you saved me from Grandma Bella. She was about to have a vision."

I once again flinched, this time at the mention of Grandma Bella. I gave Amy a quick hug of support.

Amy chuckled, "Joe told me all about you. He really loves you."

I don't know if I liked Amy, but she was starting to get on my good side. She wasn't acting like a jealous wife. I wonder how much he told her about me. I looked up at Morelli, and I could tell he was examining me. I suddenly felt self-conscious. Then, Joe's phone rang. We all watched him pick it up; his eyes darted towards me in the process.

"Manoso," he said. I froze, my eyes widening.

"Really?" he continued. I signaled him not to give me away.

"Well, actually she's standing right in front of me."

I heard from Morelli's phone a very load, clear, and angry "Babe!"

I cringed, and hurried to my car.

"Traitor," I called Joe before starting my car and taking off. So much, I thought, for keeping a low profile.

-rs-

Steph: I have to visit my mother in the next chapter

Sofia: I know, Ricky's excited. You lead such an interesting life.

Morelli: Ranger, you stupid bastard.

Ranger: Babes, I'll be happy to get more of your lovely comments and reviews. Thank you.


	4. The Merry Men

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in the Plum series. Those are copycright of Janet Evanovich.

Chap 4. The Merry Men

Thank you ladyofkeegan, for editing this chapter. I hope you guys like it. Thanks for the reviews.

I woke up to the smell of pancakes. I could already taste the cinnamon sweetness and the walnuts in my mouth. I turned on my side with a yawn and nuzzled against my pillow, or should say Ranger's old pillow. It was still as comfortable as the last night Ranger and I spent together. I watched my son sleep, his little chest moving to an even rhythm. I scooted closer to him and wrapped my arms around him. He nestled in my arms and I placed a kiss on his temple. The clock on the nightstand told me it was eight in the morning. I decided today is the day I go to my parents' house.

I forced myself out of bed, choosing to let Ricky sleep a while longer. Even if I tried to wake him up right now, it would probably take me about half an hour. When I entered the kitchen, Sofia was flipping a pancake on a skillet, and humming harmoniously to the tune of the song on the radio.

"Good morning," I mumbled, dragging my feet to sit on a stool by the counter.

"My friend," she said smiling. "How was your sleep?"

"Short. Thanks for coming to my rescue last night." Following what happened with Morelli, I was too afraid to go to the station and get my body receipt. I knew there was a chance that somebody was waiting for me there. So she took care of everything for me. I really don't know how she did it, but she did.

"Oh it was nothing," she said gently. "It was fun. I saw the black truck, but I think he was busy looking for you and missed me coming in. Blueberries or walnuts?"

"Both please" Sofia threw the blueberries and the walnuts into the mix and poured it into the pan. "Could you help me prepare a recipe from a book? It's for Ricky; I think he might miss Donna Ana's food.

"Of course," she replied, "maybe we can try tonight. By the way, Samuel called this morning. He gave me an update on the investigation in New York. Apparently, we might not be the only ones looking for Leticia. The rumor is that the Leticia's grandparents hired someone, here in Trenton, to search for her."

"Did he give you a name?"

"No, right now it's only a rumor. He's going to ask Marcus's wife for confirmation. We should go over our plans for this week. We have to talk to Kennel's family first. They know the police are looking for him. We have to convince them to trust us. We need to find Leticia."

Sofia put a pancake on my plate, a mouthwatering delicious pancake.

"I don't understand," I said. "Why keep it quiet? People should be talking about this more often."

"I know," Sofia sighed. "It gets worse. Now most of the work is done over the Internet. Now you can actually buy these victims online. Can you believe that?"

"Yes, Marcus gave me an article just a few days before he died. It said kids as young as Ricky are kidnapped, shipped off to other countries, and employed as sex slaves."

"This is bad," Sofia said angrily. She took a deep breath before continuing. "We have to find her before they move her. It has been a week."

I grabbed a pen and a notepad. We reviewed the case while we ate our pancakes, and added a few suggestions. When we finished, I showered and spent more than usual on my hair. I'm going to see my family after four years. I have to look good. I chose a dark pair of skinny jeans and a nice pair of flats. I didn't plan to go around running today. I put on a breezy white top and layered that with a vest. I looked good. I got Ricky in the shower and helped him brush his teeth. When it was time to get him dressed, I was about to help him put on his t-shirt and when he complained.

"I do it," he told me. "I'm a big boy."

I know I should probably feel happy that my son wants be more independent, but I was upset. He's not even four yet. He told me to leave the room! Seriously? He doesn't get that from me, I'm quiet sure.

I sighed and I waited for him outside the room. I was counting to ten and telling myself it was fine. He's almost four and I'm still his mother. He still needs me. I'm in my thirties and I still need my mother.

-rs-

I decided to visit my family around noon. I didn't know who would be there or what was going to happen once I entered the house. If I'm even allowed in the house. I needed moral support, so I brought Sofia with me. Ricky was in the backseat playing with his Nintendo DS. We took Sofia's BMW and drove around the area in search of the car that would surely be waiting for me. This time, it was a blue Explorer. We found the car just a few cars away from the house, looking suspiciously uninhibited. I parked four spots behind them.

I watched Sofia parade herself in front of the car, pretending to be on the phone. I smiled. She looked a little more uncomfortable than usual.

"There are two men in the car," she told me through the phone. "I'm sending you a picture."

She pretended to be looking for signal. If the Merry Men in question were actually paying attention to her actions, they would probably be suspicious. However, Sofia happens to have Jessica Rabbit's body, except less boobs and dark shiny hair. She was wearing a flirty skirt reaching to the top of her knees, and a shirt she belted around the waist.

My phone beeped. I looked at the picture she sent met. Tank and Lester were sitting in the car, both obviously very distracted. I was only expecting one person.

"Alright, lets do this," I said and I watched Sofia make her way back to the car.

"Good luck, my friend," she said sitting in the back with Ricky.

"Where are you going mommy?"

"I'm going to talk to someone in that blue car, over there. I'll be right back, okay?"

My son nodded and I hurried over to Lester and Tank. I rapped on the back window as I reached the passenger's door.

"Hello guys," I greeted, "waiting for me?"

They both looked at me, mouth wide open. Lester was holding a water battle to his lips and dropped it. He jumped in his seat, his lap getting all wet. He quickly sealed the bottle and stumbled out of the car.

"Bombshell" Tank said firmly, ignoring Lester's struggles to dry his pants. I'm quite sure Sofia was probably amused, wondering what I've done, and enjoying watching Lester's dilemma.

"Bomber," Lester explained ignoring his pants and pulling me into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you, and look at you! You are even more beautiful than I remember."

"God, I missed you guys," I gave Lester a tight hug in return.

In my head, I knew it wasn't a smart idea to get in the car, but I did. I was getting myself into the lion's den. They could very easily drive away with me. I got into Lester's seat and gave Tank a hug. He was in shock, I believe, because he hesitantly put his arm around me.

"We need to talk," I hurried my words. I just wanted to see my family, but the RangeMan were an obstacle. If I even intended going into my parents' house, Ranger would be here in less than ten minutes. The guys could just as well drive away with me. However, I had to try to bring them on my side, somehow. "Please, let me talk before you do anything."

"Ranger has been looking all over for you," Tank groaned. "It's has been four years and eight months of searching. Who's counting? I'm not. Do you realize he's still looking for you? Do you know what this means?"

"I know," I cried, "I had my reasons."

"What happened Bomber?" Lester asked placing a hand on my shoulder. "We were worried. Ranger even teamed up with the cop to find you."

"It's complicated," I said and Tank started the car.

"C'mon beautiful," Lester pleaded.

I had a few tears in my eyes. I didn't know what else to say or do. I know they were probably as worried about Ranger as they were about me. They were now looking at me with alarm. I just wanted to see my parents.

"He loves you," Tank stated.

"I never planned to stay away for four years, things just changed." _I had a baby and things got complicated. It became more difficult to come back home as time went by, and Ranger doesn't love me the way I do._

Tank and Lester looked at each other in wonder. I didn't know what else to say, if I could only say the right words.

"Steph?" Lester interjected, "there's someone else, right?"

"No, just listen," I grumbled. "I promise I will talk to Ranger. I need to talk to him, but right now I just want see my family. Besides, this could be considered kidnapping."

Tank seemed upset and conflicted. I had more tears running down my face. Tank hates me, I thought, he's mad.

"Oh god," I cried putting my hands on my face, "you guys hate me!"

I felt strong arms holding me, and pulling me out the door. Lester pressed me into his chest, my hands still on my face. I didn't hear the driver's door open, but I knew it was Tank's hand on my shoulder. After a few seconds, Tank tried to pull me away from Lester. I think he wanted me to face him. I was about to look up at him when I heard a shriek.

"Momma," my son screamed running towards me.

I was startled. Ricky reached me and hugged my legs. I lifted him up and settled him in my arms. Sofia gave me an apologetic look once she caught up to us. She was nursing an arm. I can only guess Ricky bit her.

"Stay way from my mom," Ricky ordered Tank, his eyes narrowing. I was truly surprised and moved. He wanted to protect me from Tank! Ricky wants to protect me. I couldn't believe it, and I wouldn't if he wasn't Ranger's son. Ricky probably saw me crying, saw Tank touching me, and thought he was going to hurt me. Oh my son, my little savior.

He rested his head against my chest, hugging me tight, but he kept giving Tank a glare that would make Ranger very proud. I chuckled with amazement. Kids of my son's age are usually afraid of big guys like Tank, but my son wants to confront him.

"Honey," I cooed. "This is uncle Tank, and he's not going to hurt me. Isn't that right Tank?"

I looked up at Tank. He was more than shocked. I couldn't read the expression on his face. He was busy examining the painting in front of him. A picture composed of me holding my son, Ranger's son. I wish I knew what was going through his head.

Tank's POV

"Bombshell you have a kid," Lester exclaimed in disbelieve. Stephanie smiled.

"Ricky, this is your uncle Lester," She told the child in her arms, and he glanced over at Lester with curiosity. Lester held out a hand, the child looked up at Stephanie questionably, and shook Lester's hand when she nodded in approval.

I couldn't peel my eyes away from Stephanie and her son. I knew there was something different about her, a new sort of self-proclamation. I could see it now. She became a mother while she was gone. Stephanie and Lester were silent watching the child.

Jesus, the kid is glaring at me! He's giving me that look Ranger gives everyone when they… _No!_ Wait, that's impossible, could it be? I examined the child in her arms. I saw Ranger's hair, and his skin tone was much closer to Ranger's than Stephanie's was. He had big blue eyes like his mother. He had to be probably about four years old or less. I cocked my head to the side and narrowed my eyes in wonder.

"What's your name big boy?" Lester asked him, and I'm sure he was amused.

"Carlos," Ricky said loud and clear, "Carlos Ricardo Manoso."

I glanced up at Lester. We were both shocked. We watched Steph and Ricky in disbelief. Ricky was saying something about how her mother twisted the order of his name.

"… But it's like my dad's, you can ask my mom. She calls me Ricky, but Tia Sofia calls me Carlito." He pointed at Sofia, "Tia Sofia is going to be my girlfriend when I'm taller. She says I'm too short."

We all stared at Sofia. She smiled self-consciously, and found better interest in her sandals. There was a short silence and we all started laughing. This kid is adorable! I saw Steph dried a few tears from her eyes and gave her son a kiss.

Lester's POV

I love this kid already. I think things at RangeMan will definitely change with his kid walking around Trenton. I can't wait for Ranger to find out about him. He might get upset for a while, but this kid is just too charming. I could teach him so many things! He also has good taste. I stared at the woman next to me for a little too long. I turned my head away self-consciously, and I really don't know why I did it. She was making me feel funny just by standing next to me.

"Guys," Steph said smiling. "This is my friend and co-worker, Sofia Mendes. She's also Ricky's godmother."

She shook hands with Tank, and I cleared my throat and offered mine.

"A pleasure to meet you," I said offering my best smile. "I'm Lester, and I'm single."

"Right," she answered, and I think she sounded annoyed. _Damn it! _What's wrong with me? I'm not losing my touch or am I?

"Son, I think you should go with Tia," Steph said putting little Ranger down. "I have to talk to these gentlemen."

Ricky looked over at Tank suspiciously. This was too amusing. I laughed at the sight. He was giving Tank, Ranger's angry glare, his lips tight and eyes narrowed.

"It's okay," Tank said. I'm not sure if he wanted to laugh or cry. "I would never hurt your mom. I promise."

"Vámonos Carlitos (let's go)," Sofia offered her hand to Ricky. "Te compraré un helado (I'm buying you ice cream)."

I saw Ranger's son give his mother a fearful look. I wonder if he even understood what Sofia was telling him. He was probably about three years old, and I'm sure Stephanie doesn't speak Spanish. Sofia raised an eyebrow.

"Mami dijo que no puedo comer helado," Ricky stated. I took the thought back.

"Why can't he eat ice cream?" Sofia asked.

"It's temporary," Bombshell said uncertainly, "he ate my flan."

Steph's POV

Lester started laughing uncontrollably and I saw Tank chuckle and turn his face away from me. I wondered what they were laughing about. Sofia shook her head.

"By the way," she said to Lester. "I think your pants are wet."

Sofia took Ricky's hand and they walked away from us. She was going to spoil him with gelato. I'm quiet sure.

"Ranger's not going to be very happy about this," Tank sighed. "You ran away. You ran away carrying his child."

"Hey! I didn't know I was pregnant," I huffed. "I thought I was only leaving for a year. I just wanted to stay away for a while. I told him to stop searching for me and he didn't. What did he do with the letter I sent him?"

"He burned it," Tank replied, but he still had a smile on his face. Good. I took a deep breath. I had sent Ranger a letter telling him to stop looking for me, and that I didn't want the police involved. I told him I'd be back when I was ready, because I needed time to move on. This was before I knew about Ricky.

"I wanted to clear my mind," I frustrated and sad. "And I wanted Morelli and Ranger to forget about me. I didn't know I was pregnant. Ricky is going to be four in three weeks. You do the math, I don't want to explain."

I felt the blood rush to my face when I saw the guys' thoughtful expressions. Why did they need to know anyways? I shook my head.

"Listen," I continued. "I have to tell Ranger about Ricky, but I need time. We just got back to Trenton yesterday morning. I want to see my mother and my grandmother, the ones I haven't seen in four and a half years. My mother is probably going to kill me. If I can survive my mother, then I can survive Ranger. Ricky is excited, he wants to meet his daddy, but I need to make sure this is a pleasant experience for him. I need talk to Ranger first, before anything happens."

I saw Tank's solemn face and Lester's approving smile. I immediately felt better. I knew they agreed with me. They were on my side. It was a mission accomplished. Thanks to Ricky, of course.

-rs-

We waited for Sofia and Ricky to come back. I was right about the gelato. They walked down the street holding cones of Italian ice cream. Sofia was holding four cones. She offered one to Lester first. Tank and I took ours and started to eat. Sofia was trying to hide it, but she kept giving Lester little glances. This might actually be a problem. Lester kept trying to flirt with Sofia, and she kept pretending to ignore him. Tank kept watching my son with curiosity. Ricky was giving Lester the glare, and holding tight on Sofia's hand.

"Bombshell," Tank chuckled. "I'm glad you're back."

"Thank you, Tank."

"Please, talk to Ranger soon" he half whispered. "He's going crazy knowing that you're here, and he still can't get to you. When you left, he wasn't quite himself anymore. We were all worried, and wanted things to be alright again, but I think it got worse."

"What happened?"

"Well, Ella told Ranger's mother what was going on," Tank whispered loud enough for me to hear. "Mrs. Manoso sent Mr. Manoso to Haywood to fix their son's life. He wasn't allowed to go back until he did."

"What?" I exclaimed in disbelieve. I couldn't imagine Ranger's reaction. "What happened?"

"Well," Tank said. "Mr. Manoso stayed there for two months. Ranger had a talk with his mother, and Mr. Manoso was allowed back home. I don't know what he said to her or what he promised."

What could Ranger possibly have said to his mother? If I saw my son struggling, I wouldn't rest until I made sure he wasn't. God, I would probably act like Morelli's mother when he was running from the law, defensive and alert. I would always be looking about for my child. The thought reminded me of what happened last night. I had to talk to Joe Morelli. I had a few questions to ask, and I have to properly apologize.

Tank's P.O.V 

I saw little Ranger run into the house when the door opened. Bombshell's mother grabbed her and pulled her into the house when she saw her. I'm glad she's back. Maybe after all of this is done we can all breathe easier. Fifteen minutes later, Lester and I got back in the car. We had to pretend nothing happened, and sit tight until Bombshell finally talks to the boss.

"Did you see the way he was looking at you?" Lester asked. We both laughed at the thought.

"I think Ranger finally has his match," I replied amused. I couldn't help it.

"Who's my match?" Lester and I turned our heads simultaneously to see Ranger looking at us through the passenger's window.

"Boss," Lester's voice squeaked when he talked. I saw Ranger raise an eyebrow at him.

"What's wrong with this one?" nodding at Lester.

"I wonder the same," I responded smoothly, "all the time."

"You guys can go now," he said. "I'm going to talk to Mrs. Plum, so I'll stay here for a while."

"No," Lester and I said together. This unison stuff has to stop. Ranger raised his eyebrow once again.

"I mean," I started. "I saw Mrs. Plum step out about fifteen minutes ago. I haven't seen her come back. We can wait here with you."

"Is there anything I need to know?"

"Well," Lester glanced my way.

"Lester is in trouble," I suddenly said. "It's really bad."

Ranger sighed in frustration and hopped into the back seat.

"You have ten minutes," he said.

Tank: I have a nephew!

Ranger: Do you?

Ricky: Tank is a weird name.

Steph: Thanks for the encouragement guys. I enjoy the comments and reviews.


	5. Mothers

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Those are copyright of Janet Evanovich, though I do wish Ranger was real.

Chap. 5 Mothers

I have to thank you all for the lovely reviews and comments. It's great encouragement and they are very addicting. Thanks to ladyofkeegan for editing this chapter for me. She's a supermom. I hope you guys enjoy it.

Steph's POV

The Burg's streets were quiet. The heat was keeping everyone inside their homes. I left the guys parked two houses away from my parents' house after they wished me luck. Glancing inside the house through the front window, I noticed everything looked calm. I squeezed Ricky's hand and walked up to the door. I was about to knock, when the door swung open and my mother awestruck eyes stared into mine. We faced each other for what it seemed an eternity, until I felt Ricky tug my arm for attention.

"Mommy?" he looked up at me, eyes filled with anticipation.

"Who is it Helen?" I heard my father's voice coming from the living room.

"Grandpa!" Ricky cried happily recognizing my father's voice. Dad came to the door smiling, and opened his arms to Ricky. My son brushed past my mother and launched himself in my father's arm.

"What's going on?" I heard Grandma Mazur's voice coming from somewhere in the house. She walked to the door looking at my father with Ricky in his arm.

"Frank, where did you get that child?"

"He's my grandson."

"Why do you keep talking like that?" she asked. "You don't have a grandson." Dad pointed at me.

"Stephanie," grandma gasped. "You're back!"

I had tears running down my face, and my mom did too. She walked out the door and hugged me tight. I knew she was upset with me, but she was holding me and that's all I needed for now.

"Mom," I whispered hoarsely in her ear.

We walked together into the house, and I heard Sofia greet my father. I had completely forgotten that she was there. I hugged Grandma for a long time and then my mother once again.

"I know I have a lot of explaining to do," I told them. I was surprised when my mother shushed me. She grabbed some tissues and cleaned her tears.

"I found your letters," she stated remorsefully. She could only be referring to the letters I sent my father through the years, the ones I disguised as bills.

"How?" my father inquired from across the room. He still had Ricky in his arms.

"Oh please, since when do you care about bills?" My mom responded bitterly, and she was right. My father never paid attention to the bills. As long as mom paid on time, he was fine.

"I can't believe you didn't trust me," my mom turned to me again. "I wouldn't have said anything."

"Mom," how could I explain this to her. What could I have told her? I left the day of my wedding, running from a commitment I couldn't make. I was afraid of the rumors, afraid she might want me to come back to fix everything. I wouldn't have been able to say no. I was afraid she would hate me for not marrying Morelli and making a family with him. He was 'my last chance at happiness.' Then, I feared she might hate me for having Ricky. I could only say one thing, "I'm sorry."

"Of course you're sorry," my mother said surprisingly calm. She crossed her arms and started sobbing. "You hurt my feelings Stephanie. I'm your mother."

I glanced over at grandma. I couldn't help feeling guilty. I just wish things could have happened differently.

"But, it's partly my fault," mom said. The words froze me on the spot. I didn't understand.

"I pushed you," she continued regretfully. "I wanted what I thought was the best for you, and ignored your wishes. I pushed you away from me, that's why you didn't trust me. My own daughter doesn't trust me."

"Mom, it's not your fault," I replied urgently. My mother was putting too much weight on her shoulders. This day has been a river of tears for me, and I didn't know when it would be over.

"My granddaughter," grandma stated. She came closer to me and started playing with a strand of my hair. "Look at you! You're so pretty. Helen, doesn't Stephanie look good?

Mom studied me with her bloodshed eyes. I was starting to feel my cheeks burn under my mother's scrutiny, once again after four years.

"She's curvier," she chuckled drying her tears with the back of her hands.

"Things aren't as much fun as they used to, I'm glad you're back" Grandma told me. I'm sure she was trying her best to make this less awkward for all of us. I love my grandmother. "Helen's changed a few things since you left. She's graduating from nursing school this year, did you know?"

"Dad told me," I said proudly. "Mom, I'm so happy for you."

"When you left," she started pausing to suppress a sob, "it made me rethink everything. I couldn't believe you would run away like that, and disappear for so long. It made me realize I had no life other than trying to run yours so I decided to make a change."

"I could have run away with you. Why didn't you take me? It would have been fun." Grandma interrupted. My father made a noise of approval, and I saw my mother roll her eyes 'Burg's style. "The bounty hunter with the nice package has been looking all over for you. He comes to talk to Helen sometimes."

"He does?" I asked incredulously, looking at parents for confirmation. Dad nodded, but he never told me about that.

"He was the only one worried enough to keep searching for you," my mother said, sighing when she finished her sentence. "He wanted to find you as much as I did. Stephanie, you're my daughter, I would do anything for you."

I was shock by mother's confession. I know she loves me, and there is no doubt about it. She has killed for me, for goodness sake (of course, not intentionally). We just used to have very different and strong views about the development of my life.

"What about all that stuff about my job, and about getting married?" I asked, "what about Morelli?"

"Joseph Morelli used to come asking for you too, but he gave up on the idea of marrying you. I don't blame him. He married someone else, as you already know. The telephone has been ringing all day, something about you ruining Amy Morelli's baby shower. Stephanie, what were you thinking? What am I supposed to tell everyone? I didn't even know you were back in town!"

Now my mother was yelling questions at me, asking me why I didn't come straight home. What was I doing at Morelli's shower? Why couldn't it be someone else's shower? I silently asked myself the same questions. Okay, I needed a quick escape. I needed something to distract my mother and drive her away from that conversation. It wasn't my fault.

"Mom, Grandma, you haven't met my son," I said to them innocently. Well, as innocent as it sounded. My mother gasped and walked hastily across the room. She took Ricky from my father's arm, and examined him. There were droplets of tears descending on her shirt.

"Grandma?" Ricky asked, and I could tell he was scared. He was looking from my father to me, looking scared. He was probably starting to feel anxious and nervous, not understanding why we were all crying.

"Is this Ricky?" It was more a statement than a question. Of course, she knew about my son. He's all I wrote about in those darn letters. "This is my grandson."

"Yes," I said, "this is my son."

"He's Ranger's son too," she said accusingly. A slight sense of fear coursed through my body.

"Well, ain't that a pip," grandma added excitedly. "I guess the bounty hunter is taken. Stephanie, maybe you can introduce me to the other nice packaged men."

"Mom!"

"What? Steph, your baby is a cutie. He looks like Ranger too, he's a mirrored image of him."

"Are you talking about my daddy?"

"Yes, sweetie pie," she told him gently. He was doing his puppy-eye thing again. I saw my mother rescue herself by sitting on the sofa. Yep, he played his charms on her. "Oh, Stephanie, how could you deny me such a precious thing?"

My grandmother was smiling at me. She patted my back and leaned in to whisper in my ear, "well done. I'm proud of you." I just shook my head. This was more than I expected. My mother had me flabbergasted. What kind of relationship does my mother have with Ranger?

"Mom, please tell me you didn't tell him," I begged my mother pointing at my son. I wanted to be careful with my words around Ricky. She looked at me with hurt in her eyes.

"It's your problem to solve," she snapped, "I know how to keep a secret Stephanie."

I exhaled in relief. My mother smiled at my son, running her hand through his hair.

"You can talk to him when he gets here. He's about twenty minutes late," she said.

"What?" I exclaimed. Dad took a deep breath and removed Ricky from my mom. She looked at my father with disapproval.

"Talk to your daughter," he said, and she relented. I saw him take my son upstairs.

"I have a present for you," he chimed. Ricky squealed with excitement.

"Sorry, my name is Sofia," my friend introduced herself to grandma. "Would you like to join me outside to do some surveillance? You never know how this might turn out, you know." I gave Sofia a look that said you are a coward for leaving me alone but thanks for taking my grandma with you…. I have gotten really good at giving looks that say a lot.

"Yes, you never know," Grandma followed her out. "I'm actually very good at surveillance. Are you a bounty hunter?"

"Mom, I need time," was all I said when they left.

"How much time?" she asked grimly. I was wondering if she was going to give me an ultimatum. I felt the tears pool in my eyes. I wanted to procrastinate on meeting Ranger, seeing him would trigger many emotions. I knew that I had to build my strength, somehow.

"I don't know," I said softly, "not too long though."

"You are in love with him," my mother stated standing up and walking to the kitchen. Suddenly, I felt naked. Only my mother could do that. She stripped me down in the middle of the living room with her statement. A statement that in my ears sounded more like an accusation, but it was very much true. I'm in love with Ranger. I'm in love with Ricardo Carlos Manoso, and this love's killing me. I don't want to get hurt again.

Mom brought a bottle of whisky and filled a glass for each of us. We stood there in silence and chucked down the liquid.

"I'll figure something out," she said in a business tone. "You know something to tell the neighbors."

I smiled. My mother didn't totally change after all.

Lester POV

Ranger gave me the blank face. I saw his eyes narrow a little, and the blank face turned to a subtle glare. Jesus!

"Let me get this straight," he said, "Your big problem is that you can't get a woman to go out on a date with you."

I nodded vigorously, too much maybe. Tank kept his eyes on the Plum's house the whole time. We had to find a way to stop him.

"It's not just any woman," I complained. "I'm quite sure this is _the_ one."

"Okay," Ranger said stepping out of the car. "You guys can go back to Haywood and start working on our new case. We have a missing teen, sixteen years old Leticia Movio. This is a very important case, possibly related to the selling of sex slaves, but the last has yet to be confirmed. I was going to offer you the rest of the day off, but seeing that I played relationship expert…"

Tank cleared his throat, "Ranger."

"What?"

Tank was pointing Plums' house. Now, the Merry Men really do not fear many things, but Grandma Mazur was at the top of that short list. She was probably Ranger's only fear. The boss looked slightly uncomfortable. I would have laughed, but it just happens that Grandma Mazur scares me too. She liked us too much, and the idea of her loving my package is just scary, frightening.

Grandma Mazur and Sofia were making their way towards us. She looked at us mischievously. "Sofia this is Ranger, and he's also a bounty hunter."

Mrs. Mazur whispered something in her ear.

"I see," she said knowingly, studying Ranger with her eyes. I didn't like it.

Ranger stood straight, but kept himself a reasonable distance from Grandma. He had his blank face on once again, his eyes piercing into Sofia.

"Sofia Mendes," he said bitterly, and I snapped my head to his direction. What in the world is going on? Does he know her?

"Carlos Manoso?" she half asked and half stated, frozen on her stop.

"Do you know each other?" Grandma Mazur asked the question running wild in my head.

"I don't think so," she said, but Ranger's eyes told the opposite.

"How's your father?"

"He's fine," she responded flatly. Ranger pager beeped. He took a second to read it and then refocused his eyes on Sofia.

"Mrs. Mazur is Mrs. Plum home?" he asked, his face devoid of expression.

"She's not," Sofia answered quickly before Mrs. Mazur could answer. I noticed how she pouts. It's just so sexy! I wonder if she does it every time she's upset or when she lies about something. "She left a few minutes ago."

"Yes, yes," Grandma Mazur nodded in approval. "She wanted to buy a few things for dinner."

"I should go then," Ranger replayed quickly. "Tank, lets go, we might have a problem. Lester, you stay here for while. I'll call you."

Tank immediately got out of the car and followed Ranger to the truck. I looked up at Sofia through my window. She looked puzzled, but she gave me a sly smile when she caught me staring, and walked back to the house. She left Grandma Mazur at my window smiling down at me.

Steph's POV

My mother requested that we join them for dinner the next day. She said Valerie was coming for dinner today, and it was probably best for her not to know about Ricky so soon. Mom wanted to talk to her privately, and explain the whole situation. I didn't know how much I could trust Valerie with this secret.

My mother made me a delicious pineapple upside down cake to make up for the lost dinner. I took it home to share it with my son and with my friend.

When we got home, I made another addition to my "to do" list, 'get something nice for Grandma.' She deserves something good after what she did for me. I wish I could get her a RangeMan uniform. She would love that. Then, I also mentally kicked myself for being such a coward. I knew I was being self-fish, delaying the meeting between my son and his father because it will hurt me. Ranger will still be out of my reach. I banged my head against the kitchen counter.

I need to get more things done. I need to be efficient, I told myself. Instead of completing things on my list, I just keep adding to it. As I was reflecting on my procrastination, I reviewed the list on my head. If you don't feel like working on something important, work on the next important thing on the list. I wonder if Ranger was tapping Morelli's phone.

"Just let it adsorb the water for a while," Sofia said interrupting my train of thought. I was trying to make rice with black beans, and lasagna. There was only one thing I knew how to do well, and that was my lasagna. I was proud of it. If I ruin something, at least my lasagna is always good.

I decided to do at least one thing from my list that would help me feel better, and hopefully would please my mom at the same time.

"Could I use your computer for a second?" I asked Sofia, and she nodded taking care of the kitchen. I walked over to the living room where I found Ricky hovered over the huge picture book dad gave him. It was all about space, and he seemed amazed with all of the pictures of the stars and the planets. My son, the astronaut, I thought smiling.

Ricky is the only thing that makes me happy, knowing that he's mine, and that he loves me. He's the result of what Ranger and I had together, because we had something. He's the reminder of the last night Ranger and I spent together, and I felt his love. Ricky is the link between us, and will always be the link between Ranger and me.

I turned on the computer and did what I thought was the safest thing to do. I sent Morelli an email.

_I trust you._

_I know that you're upset, and you probably hate me. I get why you'd give my location to Ranger the way you did. I promise I'll talk to you, but only if you promise not to do it again. I owe you an apology and an explanation. _

_Love, Cupcake_

_P.S. Are you having twins?_

-rs-

Ranger: Sofia Mendes, again.

Sofia: uhm, where's my gun.

Steph: I just want to sleep.

Ricky: I want Cheesecake...and ice cream, it's my favorite.

Me: The litle of the next chapter is Ranger. Thanks for reading, you guys are awesome. Please, send me your comments, reviews or theories. My best wishes to all of you.


	6. Ranger

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Those are copyright of Janet Evanovich.

**Chap. 6 Ranger**

Hello! I'm sorry for the delay. I've been a little busy, but I'm still alive. Thank you for all those lovely reviews and comments. I love them and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. Thanks for ladyofkeegan for helping me and editing this for me, feel better Babe. I also wanted to share this link, this is what happens when I procrastinate. It reminds me of certain two characters we love. http:/ www .youtube. com / watch?v=8w6khbl-uXw

Steph's POV

Lester was leaning against the car, watching me closely. He was wearing all black, but not his usual RangeMan uniform. He had a dress shirt, nicely fitted cargo pants, a pair of sunglasses, and his hair was nicely cut. The whole imaged screamed 'look at me.'

"You're blocking the garage," I yelled helping Ricky out of the car.

"Good morning, beautiful," he greeted, and gave me a tight hug. "Mr. Plum gave me permission to park here. How's my nephew?"

"Ricky, say hello to your uncle."

"Hello, Uncle Lester," he replied obediently.

"Good morning little Ranger," Les chuckled ruffling Ricky's hair. My son combed his hair with his hand and curiously studied the man in front of him.

"Where's your friend?

I vacillated a little before responding. I don't know who I was trying to protect, Lester or Sofia. Lester's just too much of a ladies' man. He could very easily break her heart. However, the last time Sofia went on a date, the guy ended up on the ground crying for mercy, all because he leaned in to kiss her goodnight. Uhm, maybe Sofia and Lester could balance each other out.

"She's working," I replied.

"Ricky," my mother stood at the door, wearing an apron. My son instantly ran up to her. She squatted down to give him a kiss and a hug. "I want everyone to come eat, breakfast is ready."

"Thank you mom," I said gently, "but I ate breakfast already, so did Ricky."

She pursed her lips, "I have muffins and cookies."

I pretended to be considering it but my mom knew she won. Yes, she lured me in with pastries. My father was already sitting at the table. Grandma came into the room, wearing a purple warm up suit, fixing her hair with her hands. I saw her eyes lit up at the sight of Lester.

"Good morning," she sang giving me a hug.

"I had a late night last night," she said. "I went to Mr. Perkins viewing, and I swear, the whole Burg wants to know about you, and your new love.

"My what?"

"There was so much yammering," she continued ignoring my question. "They kept talking about how you 'ruined' Amy Morelli's shower."

"I didn't! It wasn't my fault! Why me?" I whined in frustration. My mother rolled her eyes, but I swear I saw a grin.

"Stephanie, dear," grandma said. "We have it all under control. We told them there's someone very important in your life, and that you have no interest in Officer Morelli."

"You what?"

"We didn't give them any names," Grandma said reassuringly. "I just told them he's someone important in your life, very special.

"Who?"

"Ricky, who else?" she gave Ricky a kiss and sat on the chair next to Lester. I slumped on a chair next to my dad, and took a muffin from his plate, gaining a stare of disapproval.

"Good morning, daddy."

"Pumpkin"

This is the advantage and disadvantage of living in the Burg. I have taken advantage of the grapevine in various times, well all the time. This is why I was asked to do this job, I know the Burg. Then, why am I so surprised? My mother still worries about the gossip. Grandma should have told them to mind their own business.

"Stephanie!" my mom gasped. I guessed I said that at loud. "It's really not that bad. Mom and I decided it was the best thing to tell everyone. It's very close to the truth, and it's not hurting anyone."

Lester snorted, making us all turn to him.

"What is it Les?" I asked impatiently.

"News travel fast," he said continuing with his food. "I don't think Ranger is going to like it."

"Ricky, drink all your milk," mom said gently. "You're very skinny, and you need healthy bones. It'll make you strong."

"Strong like Superman?" my son asked. "Superman can fly."

"No, not Superman," my mother gasped dropping her utensils on her plate. "There's no flying, and there's no jumping off from garage roofs in this house."

"You could be Batman," grandma quickly offered grinning. "He's very handsome, like you! And, he has cool cars."

Ricky seemed to think about this for a minute. "How many cars?"

Grandma opened her arms wide, "this many."

"Wow, I like Batman," he squealed. "Grandma, can I be strong like Batman?"

"Can he fly?"my mom asked.

"No," Grandma said.

"Then yes, you can be like Batman."

Lester sniggered. I almost wished he would choke, but then I would feel guilty. I actually really like Lester and it would be a shame not to have him around.

"What are you doing today?" Grandma asked me. "I put this suit on so I could go catch some criminals with you, like old times."

"Sorry, Grandma," I said. "I'm just doing surveillance today, no skips."

"Never mind then," and with that grandma gave up on the idea.

"Actually, grandma, you might be able to help," I told her. "Do you know the Kennels?"

"Wait, Stephanie, Leticia Movio?" Lester asked and I nodded.

"RangeMan is working on her case," he said. "Stephanie, be careful."

"I know the Kennels," grandma nodded, perking up. "Margaret gets her hair done at the Cut N' Curl. I heard her son Louis came back to town."

"I'm looking for him," I said, "He might know Leticia's whereabouts."

"Look at that, I need to get my hair done," she said, her eyes sparking. "I guess I could ask a few questions."

-rs-

"Lester, could I talk to you?" I signaled him to go outside. He immediately stood up, glad to walk away from Grandma's mischievous smile.

"What do you know about Leticia, Lester?" I asked him. "She's the daughter of a friend of mine who was recently killed. He was a good person and I want to find her for his family."

"Well, Ranger was very interested in this particular case," Lester replied thoughtfully, he had a small smile. "He never says no to cases of missing children but I just know the basics."

Ranger had experienced firsthand what it feels to have a child kidnapped. I grimaced at the thought. Ranger suffered through those weeks. He worried silently, trying to keep his feelings quiet, but he couldn't hide them from me.

"The police in New York questioned some of Leticia's friends," Lester continued, "One of the girls said that Leticia was planning to leave all along. Leticia's boyfriend was changed on the suspects list as kidnapper to accomplice. They think he helped her runaway."

"What does Ranger think?"

"He's not telling," Lester sighed. "What do you know about The Link, Steph?"

"Marcus, Leticia's dad, explained this to me," I started, trying to recall. "The Link is the person that recruits the girls for the sex slavery holders. He gets money for every girl he brings. He's the one that brings them together, isn't he?"

"Yes," Lester nodded. "Louis is just seventeen. It's very unlikely that he could be The Link. If anything, he could be trying to protect her from somebody. Maybe someone who's not even The Link, but it's too early to tell."

"Marcus thought he was, Sofia is back in New York trying to put together some information," I told him. "I wanted to visit the Kennel's house today. Would that be possible?"

Lester smiled knowingly. If RangeMan was involved, the Kennels' house could be under surveillance.

"I could make a few calls," he said grinning, "If I could get a little help in return."

"What kind of help?"

"Is Sofia single?" he inquired getting serious. Lester's impossible, he just met her!

"When you're crying on the ground," I responded, "don't say I didn't warn you."

-rs-

Grandma told me Margaret Kennel is in her fifties. She divorced her husband a few years earlier and moved back to her childhood home.

The Kennels' house was a duplex similar to my parents'. The colors of the house reminded me of cake frosting. I scanned the area for safety. I parked near the house and made my way to the front door. I had two hours to investigate, so I had to make the most out of my time.

I knocked a few times but no one answered. The window shades were pulled down, I couldn't see anything. I walked around the house suspiciously before knocking on the neighbors' door.

I got very little information from the first two. They have not seen her.

"It's too hot to even spy on the neighbors," I told myself aloud. My white shirt was starting to stick to my skin, and I wished I wore something lighter than jeans. There is nothing like high humility to get you and your hair frustrated.

"How may I help you?" a petite young woman answered the last door. She looked she's in her late teens.

"I'm sorry to bother you," I started, "but I'm looking for your neighbor, Mrs. Kennel. She's not answering the door. Have you seen her?"

"Well, she's always going out," the girl said thoughtfully. "I'll ask my mom."

She closed the door, but she was quickly replaced by a much older version of herself.

"Hello," I started but she cut me off.

"Lucy said you're looking for Margaret?" the woman asked.

"Yes, have you seen her?"

"I haven't seen her in a week," she told me. "I'm starting to get worried. It's not like her to disappear. The last time I saw Margaret, she said her son came to visit. I thought maybe she went to New York for a few days, to visit family, but I'm not stupid. You're not the only one to come asking."

"Thank you," I said giving her my card, and my real name. She looked at me with confusion. "This is a very important matter; please call me if remember anything or something comes up."

I gave her a little finger wave and waited until she was out of sight before I strode back to Mrs. Kennel's house. I quickly attempted to pick the lock. My spidey senses were telling me something was off so I stopped to survey the area, scanning every detail. I didn't see anything but I ran to my car and collected the emergency gun hiding under the driver's chair. I tucked the gun in the waistline of my jeans, right on the small of my back, and I made it back to the house. I should have no reason to feel nervous. What was so different this time?

The house was quiet. I closed the door behind me and proceeded to examine the room. The living room was a disaster, magazines and broken objects scattered on the floor. I took a deep breath for courage. There was some food in the fridge, and a few dirty dishes on the table. I slowly walked up the stairs and visited every room. There is not doubt that something did happen in this house but whoever did it had moved somewhere else.

I was walking down the stairs when I saw a light flicker on the landing. I slowly made my way down, listening closely. I heard footsteps followed by the sound of something hitting the floor.

"Man, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have what you want. I just want my girlfriend back, don't do anything to her."

"That's it kid, you lost your chance," another voice replied, it was another male voice.

"No! Please, don't kill me," the 'kid' was crying now, it was evident in his voice.

I had two options, I could sit here and wait for this man to kill the guy he called 'kid' or try to save him. Think, Stephanie, think. What would Sofia do? She would go challenge the killer to a fight, paralyze him by blocking the air to his lungs with two fingers, Sofia's style. Except, there was only one problem. I do not know how to do those fancy tricks. What would Ranger do? Ranger would get me out of this place. He would protect me, and he would probably kill this man.

"Please, please don't kill me."

"What did you do with the merchandise?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

I channeled my inner Wonder Woman. After all, I have done this before. I swung around the wall separating the kitchen to the stairs, James Bond style, ready to shoot.

"Put down your gun!"

"Who the fuck are you?" the killer asked. There was a slight sense of humor in his deep and angry voice. He raised his gun at me this time. I glanced down to see a handsome teenage boy lying on floor, Louis Kennel.

"Put the gun down," I ordered managing to keep my voice even but my head was in another world.

Louis started crawling away from the danger, the tips of his shoes screeching on the tiles.

"Don't go anywhere," I yelled. The man in front of me aimed his gun back at Louis. An idea came to my head. I fired, shutting the gun out of his hand, making him scream in anguish.

"Bitch!" he launched towards me in anger. Whoops that was not part of the plan. It didn't matter that I had a gun in my hand, he was going after me. Now what? I didn't want to fire again. It has been a long time since I killed someone. I started backing away into the living room. I feared for my life for a few seconds. This man is almost Tank's size, definitely not a wimpy man.

My son! I knew my parents would take good care him, I thought morbidly. Ranger would take care of him, maybe.

I tripped and fell on my butt. I jerked away in pain as my hands had cushioned the fall by landing on broken glass. The next thing I knew, I was leaning against the sofa. The man was on the floor. Mrs. Kennel was standing in front of me with a baseball bat.

"Louis, pack your clothes," she yelled at her son. He immediately ran up the stairs. I tried to stand up, picking up my gun with my bloody hand. Shit, I was in pain, but I was glad it was just my hand. Mrs. Kennel backed away from me.

"It's okay," I said, "I don't hurt you."

"Stephanie Plum?" she asked in disbelief. I'm just so lucky. "You're Edna's granddaughter, the bounty hunter."

"It wasn't my fault," I said.

"You're Joseph Morelli's runaway wife," she stated amazingly, lowering her bat.

"Wait, what?"

"I hear you're married now."

I stared blankly at her direction. I had no clue what she was talking about but she came forward and gave me a hug.

"How's your mother? She's probably happy to have you back."

"She's doing great," I said, glad she changed the subject. "She's finishing nursing school this year."

"Oh dear," she said noticing my bleeding hands. "I'm sorry about your hands. Those used to be my refined wine glasses."

"I'm ready," Louis ran down the stairs two at the time carrying a travel bag.

"I'm sorry, but we have to go," she said. "We can't stay here for too long. The house has been watched for weeks, until now. I sent Louis to get some of his clothes and then this man appeared. He must have been watching the house too. Lorry from next door lent me this bat."

"Wait! I need to talk to your son," I declared. "Where's Leticia?"

"We don't know," Louis answered guiltily. "She was trying to run away from someone."

"Do you know this man?" I asked pointing at the body on the floor.

"Never seen him," he said.

"Do you know who The Link is?" I asked. "Can you identify him?"

"Lady, I don't know," he responded quickly, pointing at the man on the floor. "He asked me the same questions."

"Somebody is trying to kill us," his mother explained. "Last week, we came home and found the house destroyed. They came back, asking about some kind of merchandise. I don't know what they're talking about."

The man on the floor started stirring now.

"I'm sorry but we have to go," Mrs. Kennel explained desperately.

"What about him?"

"Just leave him there," she snapped and she was the door.

I hurried out of the house after her, avoiding the man on the floor. She drove away in a gray Ford. I tossed my gun on the seat next to me and examined my hands. They were bleeding a lot; the glass had cut through my gloves and into my skin. I carefully removed my gloves and grabbed my emergency kit. The cleansing towel stung my hands as I pressed them against my cuts. I tried to remove a few pieces of the glass that had embedded in my palm. My hands needed to be cleaned and treated. I gingerly tried to collect my cell phone from jean pocket, smearing blood on my sweaty white shirt.

"Beautiful, are you okay?" Lester answered. "I was about to call, your time is up."

"Lester, there's someone at the Kennels house," I said. "I think he's dangerous, someone should come take a look."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just little shaken," I confessed using my less damaged hand to scratch the tingling sensation on the back of my neck. "I think I'm having an adrenaline rush. How's Ricky?"

"We're teaching him to play catch," he answered, "your mother and grandma are at the beauty salon."

I had to use my less damaged hand to start the car. I still had glass embedded deep in my hand and the stinging sensation increased. My parents' house wasn't too far away. I could go there, clean my hands and spend sometime with my father.

The pain in my hands made me suck in some air. I tried to focus on that goal. You're almost there, I told myself.

I was just getting out of my car when the tingle on the back of my neck stopped me. This wasn't an adrenaline rush. I felt my body react immediately to the thoughts in my head. There's only one person who can make me feel this way.

"Please, tell me this isn't happening," I said at aloud, keeping my eye on the door. I slowly turned around, my heart beating fast its cage. The tickle on the back of my neck traveled down my spine. I gulped, forgetting the pain in my hands. Ranger was wearing his usually combination of black, his hair medium length, and he didn't look a day older. He was perfect.

After all the begging, I have done, after covering my tracks and trying to keep my distance. He most had followed me here from Margaret's house, just that simple. I shouldn't have gone there in the first place. Was I ready to face him? I guess it didn't matter now.

Ranger stood a distance away from me, and for the first time since I've known him, I saw his feelings plainly on his face. I was looking at my son's father. I realized I wasn't breathing properly. A part of me wanted to reach out to touch him, kiss him, and beg him to forgive me. The other part wanted to run away from him, fearing he would hate me for the rest of my life.

I've been a coward for too long.

Ranger's blank face came into place, and he stood there studying me. I walked drunkenly towards him, closing the space between us. Suddenly, I felt the urge to cry. This is not the way I wanted him to see me. I was covered in blood!

I looked into Ranger's eyes and found them staring at me. I couldn't read any of the emotions now swimming in those eyes.

I used my best hand to slightly fix my hair, brushing it back in what I hoped was a casual and normal gesture. Ranger moved fast and reached for my hands. He studied them in his and I saw the disapproval in his eyes.

"Babe," he said leaning down. My heart fluttered when his lips brushed against my forehead. They lingered there for a few seconds but it was too short. He carefully examined the condition of my hands and lightly removed the almost transparent piece of glass that was causing so much pain, apart from my guilt.

"I'm sorry," I rasped in what could have been a whisper. He kept examining my palm, his lips set on a thin line.

"What happened?" he asked me. A million ways to answer him ran through my mind. He lifted my hand to indicate that he was talking about the glass.

"Stephanie," he said firmly, tightening his grip on my wrist. I realized I was fidgeting, and he couldn't remove any more glass.

God, I love this man. I knew it, otherwise why was my heart running a marathon. I couldn't keep my eyes off him. How could I stay away from him for so long? I guess I was content to know he was still alive and well. I kept telling myself that he didn't love me like I do, and that he didn't want a family. He wouldn't want Ricky and me in his life.

"Stephanie," I heard Lester's voice coming from door.

Ranger gently removed the glass, more blood oozing in the process. I flinched in pain.

"It hurts," I breathed through my teeth. I was about to say something else when I saw what looked like a baseball hit Ranger right on his temple. He didn't even move, but our eyes filled with confusion. We both turned ours heads.

"Do something!" Ricky ordered a paralyzed Lester, pulling the material of his pants. "Grandpa, he's hurting mommy."

My father's incredulous eyes traveled from my son to me. He took in my condition, and glared at Ranger questionably. I was speechless. This was the second time my son tried to protect me, and this time it had to be from Ranger.

I felt his small arms wrap around my leg.

"Don't hurt my mommy," he cried against my jeans. "She's my only mommy."

I think my heart shattered into pieces when I heard him. I was too stunned to speak, to say anything at all. I just stared at Ranger, hoping that in a miracle he would figure that Ricky was his son. I couldn't find the strength to explain.

Carlos Manoso stared at me with glistening eyes, something I never seem before. He was Batman. I was mesmerized with his distress and the fast pace of the rising of his chest.

"Ranger, I'm sorry," I said hoarsely. I didn't know how to start.

"Shit," he spat, "Stephanie, you lied to me." And with that, he turned, walked to his car. Then with the Cayenne's tires' burning on the pavement, Ranger was gone.

_What the frak just happened?_

_-_rs-_  
_

Stephanie: Ranger...

Mr. Plum: tear* My grandson is a baseball player.

Ricky: I can help mommy, right? I'm batman.

Ranger: Babes, I'll be happy to get more of your lovely comments and reviews. Just click on the link...please?


	7. The Men in My Life

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in the Plum series. Those are copycright of Janet Evanovich.**

Thank you ladyofkeegan, for editing this chapter. Also, thanks everyone for reading and for the amazing reviews. Thank you! know it took me a long to update, but at least this is a fairly long chapter. I hope you guys like it. This is what we were waiting for all along.

**Chap 7. The Men in My Life**

**Ranger POV.**

Why would she do this to me? She left me with only my memories. What could I do with these memories? I wanted to know. No I needed to know because they are tearing me apart. All I can think about is Stephanie. I remember vividly the way she moved with me, her hair creating a halo around her beautiful face and the way she moaned, trembled, nibbled, kissed, the feeling of her soft skin under my hands, the pulse on her neck when I kissed it. Those things are all part of Stephanie, her very essence. I will never let myself forget.

As I hit the punching bag in my gym I thought back to the last night we spent together.

_I remember that night as if it was yesterday. As we kissed, Stephanie pushed against my chest until I was on my back, straddling me perfectly. She had reached for my hands, intertwining our fingers, riding me slowly. She was torturing me with her pace, her moans, brushing her breast against my chest. I was the strength and the muscle, but Stephanie Plum had all the power. She always did. I remember flipping her over and kissing her until we had to stop for air. I moved fast and hard into her, feeling her walls clench around me, biting the skin on her shoulder. _

"_I fucking love you Carlos Manoso," she cried, "I'm in love with you."_

_I had to stare into her big blue eyes until I decided she was telling me the truth. Why else would she be back in my bed if it wasn't the truth? She was supposed to marry Morelli. _

_We were staring into each other's eyes. The tears and the fear I saw in them concerned me. Then I realized I had stopped moving and I was still buried deep in her. She felt vulnerable. Could I leave? I could have left her there, tell her to leave, tell her it wouldn't work. I had a flight to Miami the next morning. I was planning to be far way from here the day of her wedding. No, I couldn't leave her, not this time._

"_You don't really mean it, do you Babe?" _

_She quickly nodded, tears streaming down her face, "I can't love anyone else, no the way I love you."_

"_Then let's make a deal," I said and spent the rest of the night showing her how much I loved her. I knew that she was my everything. I needed all that she could give me. She was in deep trouble now because she won the key to the Batcave and we both knew there was no way out of the there. The Batcave is forever, and I was determined to keep it that way. _

Dammit, I still needed her. I have lost sleep, lost my appetite, and my sanity trying to find her for the last four and a half years. I should have given up a long time ago but I couldn't. Stephanie Plum, my life and love, had moved on. She was married to someone else.

The face I pictured on the punching bag wasn't Morelli's anymore. There was a time it was Morelli's, but now it was my own. I dug my own grave when I sent her back to him. She was going to marry him but then she came back to me only to leave me. I pretended that I could live my life without her and accept that she didn't belong to me. I convinced myself that I was just danger to her existence. She saw through my bullshit. She left Morelli and was in my bed proclaiming her love to me and then she left.

Now I'm here, without her, all alone.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Tank appeared at the door, and marched towards me. "Did you just run away from Stephanie? Do I need remind you this is the woman you have been searching for all this time?"

I kept punching the bag in front of me, sending it flying away from me with every single punch. My knuckles hurt, and I'm quite sure I pulled a tendon. I welcomed and favored the pain, anything that would make me feel alive again.

"She moved on," I growled. As soon as I said it aloud, I felt the need to break something. I have lost sleep, lost my appetite, and my sanity trying to find her for the last four and a half years. I should have given up a long time ago but I couldn't. All those people who criticized my actions, telling me I was going mad. My associates, my employees, and even my parents thought it wasn't worth it. They told me I needed to move on. My life was getting out of control, they told me, but my life was turned upside down the day I met Stephanie Plum.

Dammit, I still needed her Stephanie Plum, my life and love, had moved on. She was married to someone else.

"You're so fucking stupid," Tank sneered. "Did you even stop to look at that child?"

I stopped and caught the punching bag as it came swinging my way, and glared a Tank.

"I didn't have to," I spat.

"That is the problem with you," Tank sighed. "When it comes to Stephanie, sometimes you become irrational, did you know that? Do I need to remind you of Abruzzi?"

"Abruzzi deserved what he got," I snapped furiously. The last thing I needed was a lecture. I just wanted some peace. I wanted to forget everything, forget Stephanie.

Tank seemed amused, he stood there smiling too himself. It pissed me off.

"I didn't killed Abruzzi," I reminded him, but I would have killed him.

"You almost pulled the trigger," Tank said, picking a pair of boxing gloves off the wall rack. "I remember the way you saw her that day, when she went back to the cop. It wasn't hard to put the pieces together."

Tank walked over to the mat. I punched the bag for the last time, making a deafening sound. He will regret ever saying anything.

The first time I made love to Stephanie, I discovered my attraction to her wasn't just an itch I needed to scratch. She was much more, and I wanted more, but I couldn't. The next day I sent her back to Morelli, yet I couldn't get her out of my mind. I don't know what I was expecting to happen. All I knew was that seeing her go back to the cop made my blood boil. I had to live with the fact that she wasn't mine. I wasn't good enough for her and I didn't want to love her, but I did. I still do. I am under her spell. Stephanie has that effect on people. Stephanie is magic.

She makes me a better man but she also gives me temporary moments of insanity. I almost killed Abruzzi that night. I sent her back to Morelli more than once and I told her I was glad she was marrying him. I was he was good for her. He could have made her happy but she didn't want him.

Now she belongs to someone else, not me. She had someone else's kid, not mine. The rumors were true. She's taken. The woman I had searched for all these years didn't love me.

"Did you sleep with her then?" he asked referring back to the Abruzi case. "I think you did and then you got angry seeing her in his arms again."

My anger flared as we walked in circles on the mat. The bastard was good enough to block most of my advances. He wasn't trying to hit me back though. Tank was getting too confident and it infuriated me.

"She's your weakness, _Ranger_," Tank said, "and today you made a big mistake."

I stopped to catch my breath. My body was numb. I just wanted to feel pain, physical pain for a chance.

"It's funny, you know," Tank chuckled, and he dropped the gloves on the floor, "you have it so bad for her, it blinds you."

"What are you talking about?" I demanded breathlessly, she had a child. I should have known when the call came in and then the rumors started. What the fuck is wrong with him?

"Is there something I should know?"

"Just forget it," he said.

"Get out!"

"I'm on my way," he snarled. "I think you should get your head checked, maybe the blow did something to your brain."

-rs-

**Steph POV.**

I got angry, very angry with Ranger. I lied to him? When? I never lied to him. What was he talking about? Lester picked me up, preventing me from getting in my car.

"Let me go!"

"Calm down, Steph"

"Mommy, I love you," my son said to me. I smiled, now tears pooling in my eyes. It was all it took for my anger to subside.

Lester disinfected and cleaned my hands. He wouldn't let me do anything rash until my hands were treated. I had some deep cuts, but not enough that made stitching necessary. In reality, I just couldn't care about my hands. I was still trying to digest what happened on my parents' lawn.

"I can't believe he left," I said. "What was he thinking?"

"He wasn't thinking," hissed Lester, his expression neutral. "I'm sorry about what happened today. The house was wired and I didn't know. It… it's my fault."

"It's not your fault, Les," I said gently giving him a hug. "Are you going to be in trouble with Ranger?"

Lester smiled, "don't worry about it."

Ricky's eyes were puffy from crying. He panicked when he saw my bloody hands. He blamed it on Ranger and decided to hit him with the baseball he was using to play catch. I had to admit my son had potential because that was an incredible aim.

"C'mon batboy," I said taking his hand. My father drove us back home. Lester escorted us to the house and then went back to Haywood to face Ranger.

"How are you feeling, Pumpkin?" my father asked. "How are your hands?"

"It could be worse."

"It was," he mumbled as we walked into the house.

I decided to take a shower and get rid of the sweaty, bloody clothes I was wearing. The cool water relaxed me a little but it could only do so much. I was even too tired to abuse my shower massager.

-rs-

I skipped dinner with mom and Valerie. Of course, she wasn't happy but my father was very good at persuading. We ordered pizza and sat side by side on the sofa. Ricky kept trying to get Rex to play with him. Rex would just twitch his whiskers and stare expectantly at my son. Ricky asked for his crayons and started drawing Rex with a cape.

"Why does Rex have a cape?" my father asked Ricky.

"Rex has a cape because he helps me," my son said never tearing his eyes from his drawing. "He gets bad people like mommy and me. I'm like Batman."

Dad responded with an, "uhmm."

The doorbell ran and my father quickly stood up to take the door. It had to be the pizza deliveryman and I was dying for Pinos.

"Mr. Plum," a familiar voice greeted my father. "How are you, sir?"

I ran over to the door to make sure my ears weren't betraying me.

"Joe," I gasped. "How...What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Cupcake," he replied smugly. "I answered your email and I'm still waiting for a reply."

"How did you find me?" I questioned.

"I was at Pino's picking up a spaghetti sub for Amy," he said. "She has been craving that a lot lately. I was there when your order came in. I told Pino I could deliver it and he gave me your address. I hope I'm not intruding."

Sure enough, he was holding two boxes of pizza. My father and I looked at each other in awe. Today was dedicated to all the men in my life.

"Did you pay for the pizza?" my father asked abruptly and Joe nodded.

"Good," dad smiled and took the boxes back inside.

"Pizza!" I heard my son squealed from the living room.

"So, can I come in?" Joe asked me, "maybe you could update me on your life?"

I took a deep breath and hugged him. He asked for an update, well he was going to get one, a big one. I felt his eyes scanning me as I guided him into the house. We found my son doing a happy dance.

"Did you wash your hands?" I laughed. There's nothing like junk food to make him this happy.

"Yes, I'm ready," Ricky, exclaimed happily, stretching his hands for me to see. I leaned forward, and brushed my nose against his hand.

"There's something missing," I told him. "I think you forgot the soap."

Ricky groaned in discontent and my father laughed.

"Let me help you," Dad said pushing Ricky into the kitchen.

"Who's the kid?" Joe asked me immediately.

"He's my son," I responded. Joe stared at me, giving me his cop face. I actually missed that face. We stood there in awkward silence.

"Mommy, can I have pizza now, pleasseee?" Ricky questioned when he came back.

"Mommy?" Morelli inquired.

I nodded and I handed Ricky half a slice. Morelli seemed to tense, his shoulders muscles contracting as he stared at Ricky.

"Are you a police?"

Joe looked a little surprised at the question, but he nodded. "How did you know?"

Ricky pointed at the gun tucked in the waistline of Morelli's jeans. "Mommy is not a police but she finds bad people too, right mommy?"

"Honey, eat your food," I ordered trying to take the conversation away from guns. I took a bite of pizza and moaned. Pino's pizza is delicious.

"I thought the rumors were fake," Joe said, slowly reaching for a slice. "You did get married."

"God, no!" I exclaimed. "Why do you say that? It's not enough I was called 'Joe Morelli's runaway bride' today by some lady I don't even know."

Morelli frowned and I realized what I just said. "Joe, I'm sorry."

"No, I think I got the message the day you left," he said dryly. "The day before our wedding, remember?"

He had a right to be upset. I wanted to know what was running though his head.

"Do you mean he's really yours?" he asked casually, taking a deep breath. "He's your flesh and blood."

I nodded in response, "yes."

I guess he thought I was Ricky's stepmother.

"No, it can't be" he said leaning towards my son.

"It's true, Ricky is my son," I said.

"Ricky?" Joe repeated and I nodded.

"Stephanie," he hissed. "Do I want to know?"

"Maybe not," I muttered waiting for the worst.

Morelli stared at my son without blinking.

"Joe?"

He dropped his pizza back on the box, "I'm such a fool."

"Joe, let me explain," I begged him. He was already making his way out of the house.

"Tell me you didn't cheat on me," he snapped, turning around. "Were you sleeping with him while we were together? Is that why you left, because you were pregnant with his child?"

My father walked in to inspect the situation. Ricky came to stand behind me, a slice of pizza in his hand. Great! I grabbed Morelli's arm, and pulled him out onto the sidewalk before something happened.

"I didn't cheat on you," I said firmly, poking his chest. "I would never hurt you that way."

"It sounds like you thought about it," he replied angrily. I wanted to reassure him that nothing happened. However, all those kisses in the alley and all those nights I slept next to Ranger felt too intimate now. Something did happen.

"Fuck that kid could have been ours,"he groaned, "I loved you, and I still do."

"I'm sorry, Joe," I replied sadly. "I knew my heart belonged to someone else. I might have not betrayed you physically but my feelings did and you have to admit, that's much worse. If… If you feel we can't be friends, then…then, I understand."

There wasn't much I could say that would change the way he felt.

"The guilt is killing me, Joe," I told him, "and the last few days have been horrible to me. I fell on a pile of glass, the daughter of a friend was kidnapped, and Ricky hit Ranger on the head with a baseball."

"Cupcake," he sighed and embraced me. "I'm here for you even though you basically left me at the altar, remember?"

"Good to know," I said.

"Wait…what about a baseball?"

I told him what happened earlier in the morning. Joe Morelli's eyes filled with amazement and his body shook with uncontrollable laughter.

"It's not funny," I protested. "Did you see that slice of pizza in his hand? I think that was for you."

"Cupcake," he said. "It's just a funny image. He deserved it, sorry. I wish I could help you. Maybe he misunderstood? I mean… Cupcake, he has being looking for you for years. He was even willing to put our differences aside to find you and that's desperation. He thought you might get in contact with me first and he wanted to make sure he could reach you."

I felt the tears cascading down my face…again. I could probably fill a fish tank with all the tears I have shed in the past two days. I blamed it on PMS.

"Do you love Amy?" I asked Morelli.

"Yes," he replied smiling at me, "I also love you, deeply... Amy lost her first husband. He was a police officer and died during an undercover operation. They never had kids together. She moved to Trenton, searching for a change, that's when we met. First, we started leaning on each other for comfort. Then, we fell in love, and we didn't even notice."

I studied Morelli as he stood in front of me. He had his hands in his packets, smiling at me. He said 'fell in love.'

"I'm sorry," I said, "about leaving the way I did."

My thoughts traveled back to Ranger, and I almost chocked. He was suffering too. He wants me, I thought, Ranger misses me.

"Hey, I'm having a baby," Joe said cheerfully, "and please don't ask Amy if we're having twins. She's very emotional about her weight lately."

I smiled knowingly, "I'm afraid to talk to Ranger."

"Well, I don't blame you," he said thoughtfully. "Cupcake, I got to go. I need to buy some Maalox."

-rs-

My father left when Sofia came home. He wanted to make sure I wasn't left alone to do something crazy. I sat on the steps for a while, staring at the stars, watching them twinkle back at me. I was feeling somewhat relaxed after talking to Morelli. God, I was even feeling a little brave. The door opened and my son came out. He was wearing a batman pajama set that I couldn't help buying him. He was holding something in his hand and under the porch lights; I noticed tears in his eyes.

"Baby, what's wrong?" I asked him pulling him next to me. Ricky handed me the thing in his hand. It was Ranger's picture. The picture I had sneakily taken one day when he picked me up at my parents' house. It was a medium shot picture of him. Ranger's hair was short since he had come back from being 'in the wind.' He had on a black shirt. Ranger's eyes and the slight tilt of his mouth suggested that he was amused. I was amusing him.

"Come here," I told Ricky, gently sitting him on my leg. "Tell mommy what's wrong?"

"I want daddy," he said softly to me, "I want to see daddy."

I kissed his cheek and took a deep breath before responding. Ricky was just turning four. He couldn't see the resemblance between the man in his picture and the man he hit with that baseball. Ricky has never seen him in person before and the man he saw was 'hurting me.'

Ranger, on the other hand… Well, he was taken by the moment. He probably thought the same thing Morelli did, that I married someone else. How could he be so stupid? Maybe he didn't want to see what was in front of him. Couldn't he see himself in my son? Maybe the blow on his head actually damaged part of his brain.

"Baby," I started gently. "Do you remember that man at grandpa's house?"

"The one hurting you," he said.

"No baby," I replied quickly. "I told you he wasn't hurting me. He was _helping_ me and it's bad to throw things at people. Don't do it again."

"What if they are bad," he asked.

"Then you call me," I told him. I turned the picture around to show him. "Son that man is your daddy."

Ricky gasped, his little chest contracting in the process, and his eyes fell on mine. I saw them filled with tears. I felt horrible, what was I telling him? Ricky pressed himself against my shirt. I made small circles on his back.

"Mommy, daddy…daddy hates me now," he wailed between sods. "I hit him with my ball."

"He doesn't hate you, baby," I affirmed sternly.

"But, he… he left," Ricky cried.

"He was being stupid," I stated, shocked by the anger that had taken over my voice. "He didn't even let me explain or introduce you. Ricky, your father just stormed away from us without knowing. He was an idiot! A coward!"

I wasn't talking to my son. I was talking to myself. I picked Ricky in my arms and stormed in the house for my keys. The door slammed behind me.

In the living room, Sofia looked up from her computer. There were papers scattered everywhere. She was on the job, probably hacking someone's computer. I walked past her and unhooked my keys from the key holder against the wall. I tapped on Rex's cage and he twitched his whiskers at me.

"Wish me luck," I said walking back to the door.

"Would you pick up something for me?" Sofia called out from the living room.

"I'm not going to the store," I responded. She stood up from her seat and followed me outside.

"Are you sure about this? Would you like me to go with you?" she asked walking next to me. She was wearing her large pajamas, and fluffy sandals.

"No, I can do this," I replied, buckling my son in the back seat. He sat there confused and crying silently. "Ranger's an idiot and he needs to know. Then, he's going to explain how I 'lied' him."

Sofia grinned, "Go sister, I'll be waiting here in Themyscira."

I gave her a hug. It was hard not to smile at the Wonder Woman reference. She was encouraging me.

-rs-

I drove silently to the building in Haywood. Ricky was sitting in the backseat examining the picture of his father with the little light streaming through the window. I made two rounds around the block before I had the guts to go in. The garage doors opened in front of me and I drove in before I could do a double take.

"Ricky?" I called my son when I parked. I took his attention away from the other cars in the space and he looked up at me.

"Where are we mommy?

"We're going to see daddy," I said a little breathlessly. The nerves were catching up to me. I got out of the car and unbuckled Ricky from his seat.

"Daddy?" he gasped as I lifted him in my arms. "Mommy, would he like me? I hit him with my ball."

"Don't think about that, baby," I said more to myself than him. I knew Ranger would never hurt a child, physically or emotionally.

The elevator doors open in front of me. It was empty and I breathed with relief. Ranger will not throw me out before I got my chance to explain. What am I even going to say? I questioned myself, different things running through my head. I stepped in and pressed seven.

However, the door opened on five. A sea of men stood there staring back at me. Only one thing crossed my mind, why didn't Ranger hire women? I saw Al, Bobby, Cal, Junior, Hal, Woody, Vince, Ram, Manuel, and Hector, Lester, and Tank.

"Hello," I mumbled timidly. They just kept staring at me.

"It's good to see you, Beautiful," said Lester. There was a big smile on his face, but also a nasty black eye and a bruise on his forehead. Ranger.

"You look like a woman on a mission," Tank noted.

"I think we should get this over with," I said.

"Are you sure?"

"If I don't do this now," I threatened, "It's never going to happen."

Tank and Lester hopped into the elevator. Tank barked orders for everyone, telling then to go back to work. Ricky stared blankly at him all ride up.

"Ricky, that's rude," I sighed. What do I do with a child who thinks he's Batman?

The doors dinged open and we stepped outside. Tank opened the door for me and stepped inside Ranger's apartment. I followed silently behind him, placing a kiss on my son's cheek for reassurance.

There was Ranger. I shuddered at the sour look in his eyes, the look of rejection.

"Ranger," I breathed. My son looked from Ranger to me.

"Daddy," he cried, wiggling in my arms. He was trying to fight himself loose, and he did, slipping down to the floor on his feet with a thud. He stood there looking at his father. I turned to Lester and asked him to take Ricky with him.

"No," Ricky shrieked, yanking his hand away from Lester. "I want my daddy."

Ranger was standing just a couple of feet away from me. He was paralyzed, rooted to the floor, and blank faced. He was in Ranger-lock-down mode, and I got scared.

My son marched up to his father, and looked up at him. Ranger towered over him, his big form made Ricky's even smaller. Ranger was still staring at me, and I'm sure he wasn't breathing.

"Daddy," I heard my son whimper, and I was certain he was crying. Ranger's eyes moved down to his son. I saw them stare into each other's eyes for a few seconds too long. My body was paralyzed, waiting, wishing Ranger wouldn't ruin this moment for my son, for our son.

"Daddy?" Ricky wept, and lunched himself into his father's legs. I saw Ranger shake when Ricky wrapped his small arms around him. Ricky looked up at him once again. I think he was waiting for Ranger to pick him up. I silently wanted to yell at him and tell him to hold him, to give his son his wish. I couldn't. Ricky stepped away from his father, his tiny hands flying to his face. My son was crying!

"I'm sorry I hit you," he sobbed. Stupid and useless Ranger-lockdown mode!

There was a heavy knot in my chest, and I was starting to see dots. Tank stepped up behind him and whispered something in his ear. I didn't even see him move. I saw Ranger come back to life, once again. He gulped, squatted down, and gently removed Ricky's hands away from his eyes.

He lifted Ricky into his arms. My son nestled against his chest and wrapped his arms around his neck securely. Then Ranger glanced blankly my way, and my breath caught in my throat.

I felt Lester's arm holding me up. He was rubbing my back, trying to calm me down. He pushed me farther into the room and made me sit on a chair. I started taking deep breaths, hoping Ranger wouldn't send me to live with penguins. I sat there, silently watching the interaction between my son and his father.

"It's okay Bomber," Tank whispered in my ear. "Ricky just won him over."

I nodded trying to tell myself everything was going to be okay.

"What did you tell him?" I asked curious. "When you approached him, what did you say?"

Tank's smile widened, and then he gently repeated to me what he told Ranger. "I said, his name is Carlos," he whispered back a me.

**Ranger POV**

"Daddy," the child in my arms rasped. I felt his tears against my neck. "I missed you."

He missed me, meaning he missed me in his life. Why Babe? What did I do? Why would you keep our child a secret from me? I examined the child in my arms, my son. I kissed his cheek and tried to wipe the tears running down his eyes. He looked up at me with those big blue eyes, like his mother's. I found it very hard not to stare. The way he was looking at me gave me the urge to protect him and make him happy. If I had to jump in front of fast moving train to do so, I would.

Carlito is the perfect combination of Stephanie and me. He has silky brown hair on his head, his skin a few shades lighter than mine, and blue eyes. Carlos, my son, has his mothers' eyes, the same enchanting eyes, kind, innocent, and blue like the sea.

"Stop crying," I said, and he looked at me startled. I realized that it was meant to come out gentle and soft but it came out as an order. I was angry. How could this happen to me? How can I be so stupid? When it comes to Stephanie, I'm always disoriented. I don't know what it is about her but she can make me temporarily insane.

"I'm sorry," I said and this time my voice came out much softer. I kissed his cheek, his forehead, his nose, and his temple making exaggerated kiss sounds in the process. It had the desired effect because he giggled. My son's eyes were smiling now.

When I saw him in Stephanie's arms calling _me _daddy, I wasn't sure it was real. There were so many things going through my mind. I tried to make the calculations in my head. Then, I heard Carlito call me daddy once again. I looked down at him and I was certain. This child had to be my son yet I still couldn't make myself move. There were so many emotions running wild within me and the Ranger part of me was trying to keep those quiet.

"How old are you?" I asked though I knew. He was three years old. It has been four years and eight months and three weeks since my Babe left. I took out nine months of pregnancy to conclude his birthday was coming soon.

"I'm going to be four in…" he said now counting the days with his fingers. I kissed his forehead and I really wanted to smile.

"Soon," he said giving up but I gave him points for trying. I looked up at Stephanie; her eyes had not left my sight since she came into the room. I tried to breathe normally, gaining back my emotional strength. In reality, I just wanted to walk over to her and rip her clothes off. Not a good idea, Manoso, too many people in the room -including a child. My son. I have a son. Stephanie and I have a son. I kissed his cheek again.

"When is his birthday?" I asked her and her eyes widened. She hesitated a little, taking a deep breath.

"He was five days late," she said, "He was born on August twelve."

I stared blankly at her, "Stephanie."

-rs-

Ricky: Daddy!

Ranger: What?

Steph: +eyes closed+ Am I dead?

Ranger: Stephanie...

A/N: I'm sorry it's taking me so long to update between chapters. I'm writing a thesis, and it's taking most of my time, but I'll try my best to update soon. Thanks for reading, commenting, and reviewing. It encourages me to write more.


	8. The Talk

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in the Plum series. Those are copycright of Janet Evanovich.**

Here's another update! Thank you ladyofkeegan, for editing this chapter. You are amazing. Also, thanks everyone for reading and for the amazing reviews. I was going to wait until next week to update, because of thesis work. I couldn't do it. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. Please, let me know what you think.

**Chap. 8 "The Talk"**

"Stephanie," he said, giving me his blank face. There was something else in that stare -disappointment?

I swallowed hard and blinked back the tears pricking in my eyes. I knew Ranger wouldn't physically harm the mother of his child. Actually, he would never hurt me, but he did warn me that he could break my heart. He couldn't protect me from himself.

"Will you be okay, Steph?" asked Lester. He grasped my hand and gave it a squeeze. I nodded in response. They gave Ranger warning look before leaving the room.

"Daddy, look," said my son, showing Ranger the picture clasped in his hand. Ranger examined the crumpled image without even glancing my way. I sat there waiting for what seemed an eternity, trying to decipher the expression on his face. The quiet only increased my nerves.

"W...we… should talk," I finally stuttered. He glanced my way as if he was studying me, and then gave me a slight nod. He stood Ricky on the countertop and fixed his rumpled pajamas, studying his son with interest. He called Ella through the intercom and we waited. Soon she appeared at the door, looking the same since I saw her last. She stopped halfway when she saw me.

"Stephanie," she gasped. "It's really you."

She hugged me and I was grateful for the comfort of her embrace. I needed a hug, and right now, I was craving a big breathtaking embrace from Batman.

"Finally," she whispered in my ear. "He was going crazy, Stephanie. Why didn't you come back sooner? What happened?"

"Ella," I breathed. I looked over my shoulder to Ranger and Ricky. She followed my eyes, finding Ranger with a kid in his arms.

Then Ranger spoke, "Ella, could you take my son to Sixth with you? Stephanie and I have some things to discuss."

'My son.' Ranger said 'my son' with ownership. Ella's eyes widened, her hand flying to her mouth, she nodded without saying anything. Ranger whispered something in Ricky's ear. My son nodded in agreement and Ranger put him on the floor.

"What's his name?" Ella questioned cautiously, to neither of us in specific.

"Carlos," Ranger replied quickly and firmly.

Ella clasped Ricky's hand and guided him to the door. I gave him another kiss for strength, and told him to behave before he left.

Ranger stood there in front me, his arms crossed over his chest. He gave me that blank stare, his lips were a straight line, and his muscles flexed.

"That was very selfish, Stephanie," he said coldly. "You took off and left everyone who cares about you behind, no explanations, and no problem."

The tone of his voice made me flinch.

"You ran away with my child! What were you thinking, Stephanie?"

"I didn't know," I mumbled sadly, "that I was pregnant."

"Of course," he chuckled, "and let me guess, it took you five years to find that out."

"Ranger, I was…" I started.

"Lying to me?" he laughed mockingly, "yes, I can tell."

"I never lied to you! You said you didn't want more children," I argued shamefully. "I didn't know how you were going to react. I got scared."

"Scared," he repeated sarcastically. "Stephanie that still doesn't justify that you would keep _our_ son a secret from me. Did you think about him? Didn't you think I deserved to know? I'm his father! So, unless you have a very good explanation, then don't give me useless excuses."

"You're right," I said. Maybe he was right. I was selfish. I was scared of him rejecting us, but that didn't mean I shouldn't have tried. However, he made it clear he didn't want children, let alone a relationship.

"I always intended for y…"

"You intended what, Stephanie? I have searched for you for five years, Stephanie," he said icily. I winced. "I was worried about you. I wanted…"

I waited for him to finish his sentence, but instead he ran his hand through his hair, and turned away from me.

"You make me insane," Ranger said with disgust, forcing me to the edge. I felt like I was falling off a cliff. My tears started to fall at the same time my anger flared.

"I didn't tell you to search for me," I fired back, letting the tears run freely. "I never asked you to take care of me, to give me cars or to kill people for me. What did _you_ want, Ranger? You said no children and I was going to have one. I was not going to get rid of him just because you didn't want him…. And I never lied to you!"

Ranger turned to face me once again. There was fire in his eyes too. I was quite sure that if he came any closer, we could make an explosion.

"Stephanie," he replied indignantly. "He's _our_ son. Why wouldn't I want him?"

He erased the distance between us, pulling me up in a standing position. He snaked an arm around my waist, holding me tight against him, hoisting me up a little. The smell of Bulgari making me melt in his arms. I looked away from his eyes, because I wanted to ignore the hurt I found in them.

"And, there's was no price, Stephanie," he voiced. "There was no price for what we shared, never. You knew my life was and still is too dangerous. It's problematic, and that's why I said those things. I can understand if that's why you kept him a secret from me."

"I didn't want to lose you," I uttered. "You were my best friend and I…"

_And I'm in love with you! _I wanted to say. I really did, but saying it under this circumstance wouldn't have worked. He probably wouldn't believe me anyway. I remember his reaction the first time I said it. He said he wanted us to make a deal. Make a deal! One that didn't include children, I'm sure.

"And you what, Stephanie?" he inquired tiredly, kissing the bear skin on my shoulder.

"I don't remember ever lying to you," I said quickly.

"You left, Stephanie!" he said. I felt the vibrations of his voice on his chest. It made me nervous. I've never seen his this angry with me before. Ranger loosened his hold on me, "do you remember what you said to me that night?"

Ranger's eyes found mine and burned into my soul. He was doing his ESP thing, and I tried to the best of my ability to remember.

"I said many things that night," I replied in desperation.

What did I say that was so important to Ranger? What did I say? I told him I didn't want to marry Morelli. Actually, Morelli was the protagonist of our conversation that night (if crying and sobbing could be considered a conversation). Then, it hit me. I told Ranger that I loved him. I remember his reaction, nothing else I had said that night affected him the way those words did. I was in shock by the sudden revelation. My face must have said everything, because then he released me.

I followed him to the kitchen, and watched as he filled a cup of water for himself. I confess that I held a little hope. He still loved me, even with Ricky. My heart was leaping in response to this newfound information.

"I want to be there for our son," he said tiredly. "I want to be a constant figure in his life, to support, and provide for him. We should talk about visits because I want to see him daily. You are not planning to leave again, are you?"

I stared at him in disbelief. Great! I was turning into Rachel. What was I expecting? That he would be waiting for me with opened arms. 'Babe, what were you thinking? I missed you. I love you. Please, come back to me.' Well, maybe I was. After all, he searched for me for four and a half years.

"Why did you keep searching for me?" I inquired. Ranger's eyes focused on me, his blank face hardening. He didn't say anything but his eyes narrowed. He didn't give me a response. Instead, he kept drinking his water as if I never asked him anything.

I turned around and started walking. It took Ranger just a few seconds to notice that I intended to leave. I fought the door open and hurried for the stairs, but the damn doors were locked. Of course, absolutely nobody without Ranger-privilege could reach the sacred seventh floor. I pressed for the elevator and crossed my arms. Ranger was right behind me, his arms crossed, looking calm.

"We are not done talking," he stated.

"No, Ranger, you don't talk," I replied, suppressing a chuckle. "In fact, you never talk. I rarely know what you want or how you feel. Maybe that's why we are in the position we are today. How you thought about that?"

The doors opened in front of me, and Ranger simply picked me up. I tried twisting around, hoping to break his hold, but he was too strong for me. He had me locked in his arms and unable to move. I kicked and pulled trying to get out of his grip, but it was in vain.

My foot caught the elevator door, preventing him from moving. Ranger lifted me and growled in my ear. I felt his warm breath on my neck, and my foot was pulled out of the door.

"Stop moving"

"Then, let go of me," I yelled. Ranger carried me back into his apartment. I almost fell hard on the floor when he released me.

"What am I supposed to you with you?" he questioned angrily, pushing me further inside.

"Ranger wants to talk," I snorted. The tears flowing freely, at their own will. "He talks job and problems, but he never really talks. He never says anything to me, and then he doesn't get why I left."

"You're being childish," Ranger scolded, shaking his head.

"I needed to get away," I retorted. "I couldn't deal with the grapevine, I couldn't face Joe, and you… well, you… I wanted all of you to forget about me. I wanted… I wanted all of us to move on."

"Stephanie, you were pregnant," he reminded flatly. "You were going to have _our_ baby, Stephanie."

"I didn't want to be Rachel," I yelled in frustration. "I don't want to be Rachel."

My brain was not connected to my mouth. I never meant to say it. My own confession paralyzed me. I never really thought about it that way, but it was true. I saw Ranger's eyes expand almost invisibly.

"You were selfish," he responded narrowing his eyes. He was doing the bat glare. I was crossing his patience. He tweaked the bridge of his nose, and crossed his arms.

"If you didn't want to be Rachel, then why didn't you come back to me?"

I stared at Ranger in disbelief, "what?"

Why did he push me away? I thought he didn't love me enough to make me a permanent part of his life.

"You didn't want children," I reminded him quickly. "You didn't want more children and you don't do relationships. I didn't want Ricky to be rejected by his father. It would have hurt him. I needed to protect him."

Ranger raised an eyebrow, "Ricky?"

"Yes, Ricky," I said angrily. I named my son after his father, but I couldn't call him Carlos. Ranger is Carlos. It was that night, when he was my Carlos, street name Ranger. He wasn't Ranger, the bounty hunter. I tried to steady my voice, "one Carlos in my life is enough."

I looked up at him. The corners of his lips tilting up a little, "are you afraid of me?"

"I think we are done talking," I hissed. "You said it all, support, money, and visits. I think that sums it all up. There's nothing else to talk about."

"Fine!"

"Fine," I spat.

"This is not the end of this conversation," he warned, reaching for the intercom. I started wiping the tears away. I wasn't going to let Ricky see me crying.

"I need a moment," I said heading to the bathroom. I walked into his bedroom, flashes of that last night coming back again, tormenting me. It's ironic how one night can change your whole future. I never imagined myself in this situation. Ranger loved me, I was sure about that. I just didn't know to what extent. Could he forgive me? He wasn't even sure if I still loved him, and I didn't want to tell him I do love him. After all, I did run away from him.

I locked myself in the bathroom, sat on the toilet, and allowed the tears to flow. After a few minutes of that, I washed my face and prepared myself to step back outside. I examined by reflection in the mirror and faked a smile. I wanted to pretend that I was happy for my son's sake.

I found Ricky in his father's arms again. Ella studied us silently and with a sigh, she left the room looking defeated. She didn't even say bye to us. Ella wanted the best for Ranger. He was like a son to her, and I was making his life miserable.

"Baby, it's time to go," I said feeling a little guilty, opening my arms for Ricky. He seemed happy and comfortable in Ranger's arms, but I needed to get out of this place.

"Nooo," he whined laying his head on his father's shoulder and wrapping his arms around his neck. Ranger narrowed his eyes at me, and I had to look away.

"Baby, your daddy's a busy man," I said gently.

"I want to stay with daddy," he said softly, gripping onto Ranger's shirt. I tried to stay calm because I didn't want to cry in front of any of them.

"Ricky, your father will come visit soon," I told him, reaching for him.

"He can stay," Ranger said immediately. "I want him to stay."

I stared at him a little surprised.

"Oh," I managed, because I didn't know what to say. "I don't know… He doesn't have any clothes here, and he might…"

"I'll have Lester pick up his clothes," Ranger said eyeing Ricky. "He's already in his pajamas."

I nodded quickly, since I couldn't say no to Ranger. They both needed time together.

"Okay," I sighed. "Do you want to stay with daddy?"

Ricky nodded, "can you stay, mommy?"

"No baby, I can't," I told him, feeling tears in my eyes, "come here, and give mommy a kiss."

Ricky hugged me and kissed me. However, he seemed very happy staying with his father. I was hoping he would be a little upset about me leaving him, but he wasn't. I was starting to feel a little concern, maybe jealous.

"Be nice," I told him. He nodded smiling, resting his head on his father's shoulder.

"Okay, I should go then."

I walked out of his apartment feeling defeated and guilty. Ranger dismissed me with a nod. The elevator took ages to reach the seventh floor. Then, it made a trip to the fifth floor.

"Are you okay, Bomber?" Tank asked, smiling down at me. "I got a little scared after the elevator scene."

"I'm okay Tank, I'm sorry you had to see that," I said. "Thank you."

"Stephanie, you're shaking."

I looked down at my hands, he was right. I felt the tears run down. Tank put an arm around me and guided me into the parking lot. Lester was waiting there for me.

"Bombshell," he said, opening the door for me. "I'm supposed to take you home and get some clothes for Ricky, is that right?"

I simply nodded.

They wouldn't let me drive, and it was probably the best. I couldn't trust myself driving. Tank took one of the SUVs and Lester took my car. We made a stop that made me smile. We were parked in front of Tasty Pastry. Tank handed me a bag of TastyKakes and a box of Boston Creams. It's like that saying, 'when the world seems to turn its back on you, eat doughnuts.' Okay, not really, but I live by it.

-rs-

The lights were still on when we reached the house. I opened the door and the smell of freshly baked cookies called out my name, drawing me to the kitchen. I found Sofia taking a cookie sheet from the oven. I placed my pastry bag on the table, and she walked around it and hugged me.

"Are you okay?" she asked studying me. Then, she looked around searching for Ricky, but he wasn't there. Instead, she found Lester and Tank.

"Ricky wanted to stay," sniveled. "I should go get his clothes."

Ranger and I didn't have another chance. I ruined everything we had. _'If you didn't want to be Rachel, then why didn't you come back to me?'_ I am so confused.

I entered Ricky's room and looked around. I pulled his little backpack and started pulling clothes out of the draws. I selected them carefully, taking my time, making a list of the things he might need. When I was done, I examined the pictures on his bag and smiled. My son's interest was changing. I could see that he was moving on from planets to Batman.

-rs-

Later that night, I laid in bed thinking things over. What would I do with the pain? Most of the time, it helps having Ricky around the house to comfort me. I found joy in simply having him near me, but tonight he wasn't here. I felt guilty and alone. I was left with the silence and the feeling of loneliness. The problem with those is that they are actually loud, very loud. Loneliness talks back you. It also makes you think. I wandered if Sofia was right, if Ranger ever felt lonely without me.

What if Ranger wants him for himself? What if Ricky doesn't want to come back home? I shook my head. Stephanie, calm down, you're amplifying things. What if he needs me?

I laid there, staring at the ceiling for a few beats. Then I sprinted out of bed in search of my cell phone. There were three rings, and then he picked up.

"Is Ricky okay? Is he asking for me?"

"He's fine," he answered. "He's sleeping."

"Oh"

Silence

"Stephanie," he said, snapping me out of my trance.

"I just wanted to make sure," I said uncertainly, and hung up before he did. I took the cell phone to bed with me, and placed it on my nightstand. Then I remembered I forgot something.

"Babe," he answered. My heart jumped. Ranger called me 'Babe'! Maybe he didn't hate me that much after all. I sat there staring into darkness, happy because the man I love called me babe.

"Is he sleeping in your bed?" I asked casually.

"Yes"

"I forgot to warn you," I started. "He likes to suck his thumb when he sleeps, just pull it out. I'm trying to get him to stop."

Silence

"Is that all?

"Uhm, oh! He still wets his bed sometimes. Well, not always, just sometimes."

"I'm sure I can handle it," he replied, and then a click.

-RS-

Ricky: I want pie daddy, with ice cream on top.

Ranger: There's no pie. We don't have any pie or ice cream.

Steph: We cherry pie.

Ranger: Babe!

Ricky: *giggle* Babe, pie for a review?

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please, let me know what you guys think. Like I said, I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. I accept any comments or suggestions. What do you think about Ranger? What should Stephanie do? Thank you Babes!


	9. Stand by Me

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Those are copyright of Janet Evanovich.

**Chap. 9 Stand by Me**

Hello! I'm back! I'm sorry for the delay. Thesis took a lot of my time, but I survived. Thank you for all those lovely reviews and comments. I love them and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. Thanks to ladyofkeegan editing this for me.

**Ranger POV**

The alarm woke me up around five thirty in the morning. I turned over in my bed, thinking it was the beginning of another normal day. I should have known that it wasn't.

Ricky was resting his head against my pillow, sucking his thumb. I pulled his thumb out of his mouth and left him doing little fish movements with his lips. I chuckled quietly.

I'm still trying to process the fact that I have another child. I always tried to keep myself emotionally distant from my daughter, Julie. However, my efforts were in vain, she is always on my mind at the end of the day. She is my daughter, but I'm not her father. I was never there when she needed me. I send her money because that's the only way I could think of to be a part of her life. The Martine's need it anyway. I just wanted to make sure she had the best of the best. There are days I regret giving my rights away, but I know that it was the best. Julie is happy. I want her to be happy.

Now, here's Ricky. My son. I'm afraid that I am going to mess things up. I couldn't let the same thing happen to him. I don't want another man to raise him. It would hurt to see him calling someone else 'daddy'. It actually scared me. Stephanie, Ricky, and another man, I tried to erase the image from my mind.

"Daddy," my son said softly. I snapped out of my trance and opened my eyes to find his wide open. I reached out to move a strand of hair from his eyes.

"Good morning," I replied, offering a smile. I glanced at the clock and realized an hour had just gone by. My son's eyes examine me with curiosity. Then the tears emerged. There were tears in my son's eyes and I couldn't understand the reason why. I felt my muscles flex.

"I'm sorry," he said shamefully, moving his sheets away from him. I leaned on my elbows to inspect the bed. The spot under him was significantly darker. It was wet.

He kept crying silently, drying his tears with the sleeves of his shirt. I quickly stood up and picked him up, and felt the damp of his pants against my arm.

"Are you taking me home?" he sobbed, and I tilted my head to the side. "I want my mommy."

"Let's have breakfast first," I offered. "Do you miss your mommy?"

He nodded slowly, almost shamefully. It almost made me smile. I'm surprised he stayed with me. This kid hit me with a baseball to 'save" his mother, and Tank told me about the glare and everything else.

Ricky baffled me, most kids are afraid of me. Well, the majority of them. Ricky didn't fear me. In fact, he didn't fear any of my men. I would dare say he likes them. He definitely is Steph's child.

I called Ella for new sheets, since I didn't have any in the apartment.

"I'm sorry," he sniffed. He's like his mother. She always apologized for things she never had control over.

I thought back about last night. It warmed my heart that Ricky wanted to stay longer. Stephanie hesitantly left, and my son talked himself to sleep on my lap. He likes to talk, no wonder he speaks so clearly for a child his age.

I can't believe he grew in her belly for nine months… without me. I don't know where to put my relationship with Steph. Apparently, she didn't know me enough. She didn't trust me. I'm not a man who can easily express his feelings, but I like to show my feelings through actions. I thought I had shown her how much I love her.

"It's okay," I said, giving Ricky a kiss on the cheek, "let's get you out of these clothes."

I looked up at the door to find Ella. She stood with a hand on her hips. The other was holding new sheets. "I want you to know that I baked all night," Ella stated. Shit, this is big. I am in trouble.

"When are you telling your mother?" she asked after changing the sheets on my bed. I stared at her uncertainly. Ella wasn't scared of me. She was the only other person in the building, other than Tank, who never feared me. She somehow got my mom's address three years ago. They have become good friends after that, meaning I wasn't allowed to fire her. She also thinks I'm adorable!

"Soon," I said.

"Today," she pressed.

I nodded in response.

"Daddy, I want mommy," Ricky mumbled softly in my arms.

"Sweetheart," Ella comforted him, "You know what? I have a big chocolate cake in my kitchen. Would you like some cake?"

My son nodded quickly. I looked up at Ella, and I couldn't argue against it. I helped my son in the shower, and helped him dress. He was still sleepy when he got out of the shower, but he wanted to get dressed by himself. I watched him put on his shirt. It was backwards, but I didn't want to discourage him. The pictures on his backpack immediately distracted me.

"Do you like planets?"

"I'm going to be an astro-nut," he said confidently.

"A what?"

"An astro-nut," he said, "Grandpa says I can go to the moon."

"An astronaut," I corrected. "You want to be an astronaut."

I suppressed a smile, and fixed his shirt. My son, the astronaut. It couldn't get better than that, so I thought.

Steph's POV

I woke up the next day with a headache, squinting at the light coming through the window. I thought I closed the curtains the night before.

Sofia pulled my legs, quite literally.

"Wake up," she sang happily, pulling me to be very edge of the bed. "Today is a brand new day, my friend."

"My head hurts," I groaned.

"There's Advil for that," she said. I watched with curiosity as she placed a few items of clothing on my bed.

"What are you doing?" I asked inspecting the clothes. All nice clothes, things I rarely wear. I never had the motivation or a reason to wear them.

"I'm helping you," she said confidently, "and you can't stop me."

"What? Sofia," I hissed, the events of the night coming back again. "What are you talking about? I'm not going to wear any of these things."

"Okay," she said simply. She came over and sat next to me, her eyes bright. She selected a nice blue tank top with a little flower ruffle on the shoulder, and picked out a pair of kaki skinny jeans, cargo style. It was very nice combination, for her. It was slightly sexy, and I was sure it wouldn't look good on me.

"Call me a helpless romantic, but there's always hope."

"Sofia…"

"Ranger has to see you, the real you, and right now my friend," she shook her head. "I see a hurt beautiful woman, and it's not making me happy. You need to be strong for whatever might come next."

"You're wasting your time," I mumbled.

"And even if it doesn't work out," she continued, "you can't dwell on the past for too long. You need to be strong. You have a son to take care, you can't look back. You're Wonder Woman."

"It's not so easy"

"Humor me," she insisted. "I'll go make breakfast."

I grudgingly walked over to the bathroom. There was no arguing with Sofia, especially when she was right. I needed to be strong for what the next few days had in store. I have a son and I need money. I still had a girl to find. I'm not working my regular domestic detective cases or collecting any bonds. The money I saved was due to run out soon.

I referred back to my list.

Beg my mother to forgive me…. Check

Find Louis F. Kennel … check

Ask Morelli to forgive me... check

Introduce Ranger to his beautiful son with the hope that he will not hate me for the rest of my life… check and check

I still needed to buy a birthday present for my son. I also needed to talk to my friends, and find Leticia Movio once and for all. I was slacking.

I also needed to turn in my receipt from Ballet, maybe get some new cases. I still had a file to take care of, so I had a busy day ahead of me. Sofia was right, I need to be strong and push forward for the sake of my son. I wondered how he was doing with Ranger.

As much as I hate to admit, Ranger was all I dreamed about last night. He was making sweet love to me, worshiping me, whispering how much he loved me. I WISH! I grabbed my bottle of Bulgari and put my shower massager to a good use.

-rs-

I styled my hair and put on the clothes Sofia picked out for me. They actually looked great. The clothes managed to boost my self-esteem and confidence levels, which I needed since I was running low on confidence. A little mascara and a little lip-gloss and I was done.

Maybe Connie and Lula will have good stories to tell me. Hopefully, they will understand my situation and forgive me for leaving without a word.

I needed Ricky. I missed him.

I called Ranger.

"Stephanie," he answered. There was no 'yo' or 'Babe,' just my name. What happened with Babe? He called me Babe last night!

"How's Ricky?"

"Ricky is having breakfast," he stated.

"Can I talk to him?"

"Hello," Ricky said softly.

"Hey, baby," I greeted happily, "how are you?"

"Mommy!" he exclaimed. I had to move the phone away from my ear.

"My baby," I cooed.

"I'm not a baby," he whined embarrassed.

"You're my baby," I insisted. Why did I feel like he was growing up too fast? The last thing I know he is going to be getting married and having kids.

"I'm eating cake!" He said, "Aunty Ella made it for me."

"Daddy is letting you have cake for breakfast?" I asked incredulously.

"Uh huh," he replied with his mouth full. "Daddy says we doing lots of things today."

"Can I talk to daddy?"

"Okay"

"Stephanie"

I hate it when he calls me by my name.

"Are you spending the day with Ricky?" I asked a little surprised.

"Only if he wants," he said. "He misses you."

"He seems happy," I responded amazed. We stayed silent for a few seconds.

"My son knows more about me than I know about him," Ranger stated, no emotion apparent in his voice. I didn't know how to response. A knot formed in my throat.

"Ranger," I managed. "I'm sorry."

He disconnected. I looked up to find Sofia staring at me.

"I was sort of hoping Ricky could come to the bonds office with me," I mumbled.

"They 'made plans,'" I told her uncertainly. We ate breakfast and chatted quickly about Leticia's case. Sofia missed New York. She was a little homesick.

I reminded her about the man in Margaret Kennel's house, and agreed to ask Tank about him. I didn't want to ask Ranger. Sofia and I thought he could give us a good lead.

Whatever problem Leticia got herself into, she needed help. I was just hoping we wouldn't find her body in the river.

"I don't know what happened," I started, referring to the man in Kennel's house. "I froze, and that never happened before. I saw him walking towards me and I couldn't shoot or fight. I tripped!"

She looked at me thoughtfully.

"You said he was bigger than Tank, right?" she wondered. I nodded. Ballet was an easy fight. It was surprisingly easy to fight him. Usually my fights aren't that perfect. This man in the house is a different case. This man had a terrifying look in his eyes.

"You should ask Tank to help you," she told me. "It will give you confidence. I think that's what you need. You're not used to fighting someone that strong. If you practice with someone of similar size, you won't be scared in the future."

-rs-

I braced myself before entering through that door. I was standing right outside the bonds office, ready to face the girls. Mary Lou would probably be more understanding, I hope.

"You can do this," I whispered to myself, and opened the door.

Connie and Lula looked up at me when I came into the room. They exchanged a glance and proceeded to ignore me.

"Hello," I greeted enthusiastically.

"Connie, did you hear something?" Lula asked from across the room, flipping through her magazine.

"Yeah, it's probably a ghost," Connie replied. "This place is old, you know."

"C'mon girls," I groaned. "I missed you."

"Miss us?" Lula asked. She looked around, pretending to search for a ghost. "Did you hear that Connie?"

"Lula!"

"You better have a good explanation for disappearing on us," Connie started angrily.

"You take off and don't tell nobody about it," Lula complained. "We thought we were your friends! I can't forgive you now. You could at least have told us about your little escapee."

"Stephanie?" My cousin Vinnie, the weasel, crept through his office door. "It's really you! It's you! Well? What in hell happened to you? We don't need you here anymore."

"The runaway bride is back," Lula huffed. The phone started ringing.

"And why do you look so good?" Connie asked immediately. They weren't giving me a chance to explain.

"Where were you anyway?"

"Yeah, you look different," Lula added, "it's not like I care or anything."

I was about to explain, but Connie stopped me. She lifted a finger, asking for a minute, and answered the phone. She spook briefly to the person on the other line.

"It's for you," she said flatly, passing me the phone. I picked it up suspiciously.

"Hello?"

"Stephanie Plum?"

"Yes"

"Stay away," the person warned angrily.

"Stay away from what?" I asked quickly. "It would help if you tell me?"

"Listen, just stay away," the person said, "I'm your biggest nightmare."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't I recognize you."

"Look outside your window," I leaned forward across the desk to see through the window. The person on the phone disconnected. There, in front of the bonds' office was my car, and it was on fire.

"Great," I muttered, dropping my head.

Connie and Lula followed my gaze and found the car in flames.

"You already got a crazy on you," Lula hissed, shaking her head.

I could already hear the fire truck sirens coming from across the street.

-rs-

We all gathered outside and watched the spectacle. The Bombshell Bounty Hunter was back in town! My mother will have an ironing party. I could see the local newspaper tomorrow. It was just like old times. It took five minutes for Eddie, Big Dog, and Carl to arrive at the scene.

"Stephanie!" Eddie exclaimed hurrying towards me. "It's really you."

"Ed…Eddie," I replied, giving him a hug.

"My goodness, Steph!" He said. "Where have you been?"

"You're not mad a me?" I questioned him, searching for his eyes.

"No, I'm just glad you're alive," he responded, relief in his voice, "and you're looking better than ever."

"Thank you," I blushed. Now, I could feel everyone's eyes on me, studying me.

Big Dog and Carl started exchanging money, and I just rolled my eyes. They were betting on me again. Vinnie was standing next to Connie with his arms crossed. After all I have done for him; he dared to kick me out of his office. Joe Morelli arrived just a minute later.

"Cupcake," he said, "this is why I bought two bottles of Maalox."

"Nice greeting," I replied. "How's Amy?"

"She's doing great," he said thoughtfully. "I'm sorry; I can't help worrying about you. Where's Ricky?"

"Who's Ricky?" asked Eddie immediately. "Is that your husband? I heard you're married."

"Married!" Lula exclaimed angrily, "She goes off and gets married without us, Connie."

Connie crossed her arms, "inconceivable."

"Carl, you owe me fifty."

"Is it truth?" Vinnie asked darkly, god knows that what twisted thoughts were going through his head.

"I'm not married," I snapped. "Why are people saying I'm married? Who said I was married?"

"The word on the street is that you have someone special," Connie explained. "Who's Ricky?"

I'm amazed by the way gossip works in this town. My mother says I have someone special, and everyone concludes I'm married. I had to close my eyes for a few seconds, trying to relax. This is something I do quite often after having Ricky. He used to cry a lot during the nights when he was a baby. I didn't have anyone to help me. Eddie nudged me, and Joe made an angry remark under his breath. I opened my eyes and found Ranger's shiny black Cayenne making its way towards us. I didn't think to check my car or purse for trackers.

"Girl, you're in trouble," Lula chimed, "maybe he snatches you and takes you to the batcave. This time we really won't see you again."

"Don't worry, Steph," Eddie said assuredly. "You have nothing to fear. If anything, we'll protect you."

"Talk for yourself Garranza," Carl warned, watching the car park a few feet away from us.

We all watched in awe as Ranger stepped out of his car, wearing his usual black combination, complemented with a pair of dark sunglasses. It was like one of those slow motion scenes in action movies. Except, this time it was created by the anticipation emanating from the group gathered outside the bond's office.

Ranger walked around his car and opened the back door. He bent slightly to reach for something –or someone. Lula and Connie leaned to take a look of his backside. Then Ranger carried Ricky out of the car.

I just heard two loud gasps.

"Be still my heart, please. Not too still! I'm too young to die," Lula muttered to herself.

Ranger has always drawn that kind of reaction from women. However, add an infant and you maximize the effect by multiples. It could probably be illegal. I'm not sure.

Ranger set Ricky on his feet and he instantly started running towards me.

"He looks like him," Joe commented.

"Who's the kid?" Carl wondered aloud.

"That's Ricky," I explained, "and he's my son."

My son launched himself on me, "Mommy!"

"Hey honey," he hugged me tightly, and ruffled his hair. I love his hair.

"Ladies," Ranger greeted a very shocked and flushed Connie and Lula. Joe and Ranger exchanged a nod of acknowledgement. He greeted the others the same way, and then me.

"Stephanie"

"Ranger"

"A Bomb?"

"Possibly," I answered, trying to be casual. We were already making a scene.

"Mommy, look," said Ricky, taking something out of his packet. It was a pair of kids' sunglasses identical to Ranger's.

"Uncle Lester gave them to me," he explained. "Look!"

I chuckled. He looked like a lighter, kid version of Ranger. Ricky looked up at his father, and tried to imitate his stance, crossing his arms, and mimicking his blank face. He's too smart for his age.

"Nice," I said smiling, "very handsome."

Ricky giggled, and Ranger combed his son's hair with his hand. Then, he turned his attention to the fire squad finishing their work on my car, and walked over to ask them questions.

"You and Batman made a batbaby!" Lula exclaimed, slapping a hand over her chest.

"You got to be kidding," Eddie said.

"Connie, they made a batbaby!"

"I can see that," she said staring wide-eyed at my son.

Ricky tugged my hand and looked up at me, confused.

"Everyone, this is Ricky," I announced. "Ricky, these are my friends."

I looked sideways at the girls, and found their faces filled with shock. I looked over at the men, Big Dog and Carl were grinning. Eddie was in shock, and for some reason Vinnie looked terrified.

My son inspected Lula's outfit with curiosity, which she immediately noticed. Ricky, being caught in act, bestowed an innocent smile.

"Ricky, this is Lula," I told him.

"Hello," my son said softly. He extended his hand to shake Lula's, just like any other grown up. "Nice to meet you Ricky," she said gently, shaking his hand.

I smiled triumphantly and with a little effort, I picked up my son.

"My car got burned, Ricky," I told him sadly. He put his small hand on my cheek.

"It's okay mommy," he said reassuringly. I watched him, silently acknowledging that I might not survive his teenage years. Ranger studied my car carefully, and then started making his way towards me once again.

"Did you miss me?" I asked my son hopefully.

"Yes," he said nodding. Then, his eye fell on Joe and he glared at him –weird.

"Hello, Ricky," Joe greeted casually, "it's nice to see you again."

"You yelled at mommy," my son stated, changing his tone.

"I know," Joe replied cautiously. "I'm sorry."

My son stared at him for a few beats, "I don't like you."

"Carlos Ricardo Manoso!"

Ranger raised an eyebrow, having heard his son express his feeling. He had taken off his glasses, and I could tell by the way his eyes shined that he found it amusing. I might have imagined the hint of a smile.

I made a metal note to talk to Ricky about his protectiveness over me.

-rs-

The guys left one by one, wishing me luck, and telling me to take care. They all love Ricky. I made Ricky apologize to Joe. He gave me his puppy eyes, and I responded with a headshake. My son shamefully apologized, and I could tell he felt guilty.

I watched Ranger through the office's window talking to his men. He took over the responsibility of disposing of my car.

"Stephanie," Lula's voice shook me out my trance. I offered a smile, removing my son from the table where he sat.

"I missed you," she said, tears pooling in her eyes. My own eyes filled with tears and I finally hugged her. Connie joined us and hugged me as well. Ricky asked me why I was crying, and we all laughed at the awkwardness of the situation. My son didn't think it was funny.

It turns out my cousin had ordered Connie not to accept my body receipts. However, after learning about my son, he was more than eager to give me my job back. He feared Ranger more than me. Connie was just processing my receipt when Ranger walked into the room. I felt the familiar tingle on my neck. I missed that too.

"It wasn't a bomb," he informed me. Then he studied me silently as if he was seeing me for the first time.

"Have you made any enemies lately?"

"I had lots before I left but I am pretty sure they had given up on me," I reminded him. "I didn't have anyone following me though. I would have noticed."

"What about the call, Stephanie?" Connie asked. "I thought the call was about the car."

"What call?"

"It's nothing," I stammered. I didn't want Ranger to worry about me or think I was incompetent at my job.

"Stephanie"

"Steph got a call," Connie explained, "then, you know."

She pointed to the remains of my car still outside. I glared at Connie.

"Sorry," she said, pointing at my son. He was sitting on my lap, playing hand games with Lula. Ranger picked him up, and I envied how effortlessly he settled him in his arms. He nodded to the girls and started walking towards the door.

"Let's go, Stephanie," he said calmly, walking out of the room, and leaving me staring at the door.

"Go!" Lula and Connie hissed in unison. I quickly stood up, grabbing my purse, and made it to the door.

"I'll be back," I said, looking over my shoulder. "I promise."

"You better," Lula interjected. "You have a lot to tell us."

I nodded and ran out of the room. Ranger was waiting for me in his car. Ricky was already buckled in, and he had a big smile on his face.

"Mommy, daddy says we're getting ice cream," my son said excitedly. "Me, you, and daddy! We are getting ice cream!"

I fought with my seat-belt buckle. My hands were shaky, and I didn't know what to do.

Ranger POV

I watched her struggled with the buckle. She was getting frustrated, and I quickly reached out to help her. Steph's shirt had ridden up a little, my hand brushing against her stomach. She jumped at my touch, and pulled down her shirt. I buckled her in, and started driving.

"Thank you"

"Lester says you're working on Leticia Movio's case," I said, getting to the point.

"Yes," she said quickly, "Leticia's father was my friend. I think I owe it to him."

"New York City?"

"Yes," she answered softly. We stayed silent for a few seconds. I thought about all the times we searched in New York City. We couldn't find anything. It was as if Stephanie Plum had been erased from the planet.

"Could this call be related to the case?" I asked fearing the response. I don't think she realizes this is an extremely dangerous case.

"I think it is," she said after a few seconds. She sounded a little surprised. My hands tightened around the steering wheel. I glanced at Ricky through the rear-view mirror. He was looking through the closed windows, dangling his feet happily. I turned into Haywood to make a few arrangements.

"I thought we were going for ice cream," Steph said, taking notice of the change.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight," I responded, and it sounded a little like a threat. I meant it. I didn't matter how upset I was about Steph keeping my son a secret. I want to be a good father to my son. I need to be there for him, to stand by him...by them. I couldn't lose them.

"You and Ricky are not getting out of my sight."

-rs-

Ricky: I have a car mommy, Daddy gave it to me.

Steph: You gave him a car?

Ranger: He wanted it.

Steph: He's a child! He can't even reach the pedal.

Ranger: He'll grow into it.

A/N: I realized there are a lot of characters in this chapter. I felt like it was too hectic, but I hope you guys liked it. Please, leave review. It will help Ricky keep his car, it's the Turbo. Oh, and Happy New Year!


	10. Debts and Conditions

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Those are copyright of Janet Evanovich.

**Chap 10. Debts and Conditions**

Hello! I hope everyone is doing well. Once again, I want to thank ladyofkeegan for editing this for me. Also, thank you all for all the reviews and comments. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. I put * around some sentences to indicate they are in Spanish. I thought that was better than translating every line in Spanish. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

Steph's POV

Ranger promised Ricky that he would get him ice cream later in the week. I swear my son is obsessed with ice cream. He's an ice cream-holic. He smiled and nodded. I took his hand in mine and he shyly took Ranger's. Ricky was completely oblivious to the tension between his parents. I sighed.

"I can take care of myself," I stated indignantly, "and Ricky."

"I know," he said, and we stepped in the elevator.

"What do you mean you're not letting us out of your sight?" I challenged, keeping my voice neutral in front of my son.

"It means that I am not letting you out of my sight," he responded, staring darkly my way. The elevator stopped at five, and we all marched onto the hall. The men at the control table looked up, and noticing Ranger's expression, scurried back to work.

My son giggled, and getting himself loose, ran up to Cal's desk.

"Mommy, look," he said pointing at Cal's forehead tattoo. "I want one."

Cal and the men around him laughed. Apparently, my son was already acquainted with the Merry Men.

"Bomber," Cal said, glancing up at me. I walked towards him and gave him a hug. Suddenly, all my old co-workers were surrounding me. They lifted me up in bear hugs, and patted me on the shoulder. I became teary-eyed.

"Bombshell," Bobby greeted, putting his arm around me. "We missed you."

Bobby's arm was holding me tight against him causing me to fidget nervously. My eyes instantly searched for Ranger but he wasn't there anymore.

"Don't worry," Bobby said. "He's in his office talking to Tank."

"Okay," I said, though I felt he was still watching me. I don't know why I even cared. So what if he saw me touching another man? It's not like he cared anymore.

We made small talk about my whereabouts and their search for me. Cal was balancing Ricky on one leg while my son was engrossed on the television screen in front of him. He was as comfortable watching his cartoons as if the control room was his house.

"He's definitely something," Ram said looking at Ricky.

"He walked in here and thought this was some kind of spaceship," Vince chuckled. "'Daddy, it's like a spaceship.'"

The guys laughed as Vince quoted my son. Ricky bushed and hid his face under his hands.

"Tank told me he glared at him. Is that true? Nobody ever glares at Tank, except Ranger."

"You forget he's Ranger kid," Lester reminded him walking out of the elevator. "He's a mini Ranger. Hello kiddo!"

"Hello Uncle Lester," my son greeted respectfully.

"Beautiful," he said, "I think you'll find your house is now bullet proof."

"What?"

"Hector is there right now," he continued, "taking care of the alarm system. I went over to help but… Sofia wasn't there."

How dare he? I am perfectly capable of taking care of my son and me. I made my way to Ranger's office. We didn't need an alarm system or bulletproof windows. Actually, those might come handy, but I still didn't like it.

"What happened to my house?" I yelled. Ranger and Tank's eyes felt on me.

"What's wrong with your house?"

"I'll leave you two alone," Tank walked out of the room, and closed the door behind him.

"I don't need an alarm system," I said. "I have trained and work very hard all these years to take care of my son."

"He's my son too," he reminded me. Ranger walked around his desk, getting closer to me. "I have a lot of enemies. I have the right to protect him as much as you do."

"You didn't even consult me," I complained angrily.

"You didn't tell me you were pregnant," he said calmly. "You owe me."

"I owe you?"

"Big debt."

_Shit. _I needed to be angry, but I couldn't help noticing the double standard in his voice.

"What do I owe you?" I asked a hand on my hip.

"Well, let's see," he said, sitting behind his desk. "Three years of my son's life, and nine months of pregnancy. Do I need to mention how much money I bled searching for you?"

What? I don't have that much money, and did he just say I owe him nine months of pregnancy? How do you pay back pregnancy? "You're kidding!"

"I've done lots of thinking," he informed me, "and I will find ways for you to pay me."

The corners of his lips tilted up slightly, "Of course, you can come live at RangeMan."

"No, there's no way I'm moving here," I almost shouted.

"That's what I thought," he said. I thought I heard a slight tone of disappointment. He flipped through a few folders on his desk. Finally, he found what he was looking for and gave it to me. I took the folder uncertainly.

"What is this?" I asked showing him the paper in my hand.

"It's your RangeMan contract," he said, ignoring the paper, "you are going to work for me."

"The hell I am," I yelled. "What makes you think I will work for you?"

"Okay," he replied. Ranger took another folder and handed it to me. My eyes widened at the figures on the print.

"And this?"

"Child support"

"Are you crazy?" I questioned frustrated. "I'm not accepting it. I don't want your money. I don't need your money."

"A judge would beg to defer," he said calmly. He was trapping me into accepting his job offer and the worst part is that he was winning. I sighed blinking away tears of pride.

"We are working on Leticia's case," he added, as if giving me some comfort. I nodded and placed the folders back on his desk.

"Fine!"

After some papers were signed, I had my old job back. I should at least be glad he didn't want me to stop being a bounty hunter. However, I knew this wasn't the end of the child support discussion. We walked out of the office together. Ricky was still sitting on Cal's lap, watching _Phineas and Ferb_ on the little screen.

"Is he afraid of anything?" Ranger asked, "Anything at all?

"Ghost," I replied, remembering a very unfortunate accident. "He's afraid of ghosts."

"He's not afraid of me, Tank or any other dangerously armed men, but he's afraid of ghosts?"

"Yes," I said sadly. I couldn't watch Ghostbusters with my son.

Ranger shook his head. He kept walking towards his son mumbling, 'ghosts, my son is afraid of _ghosts_.'

-rs-

Ranger organized a conference for the next day. He invited the feds involved in the operation. I was in charge of calling Leticia's family to invite them as well. Leticia's uncle picked up.

"Michelle," he rasped. "Did you find her? Please, tell me you've found her."

"I'm sorry, Samuel," I said, "but we have nothing."

He sighed and cleared his throat, "the feds are having a hard time too. They are not even sure if this is a kidnapping. Can you believe that, Michelle? They are only working this case because of Marcus. I don't want anything happening to her. She's only sixteen!"

"Samuel, have faith," I encouraged him. I told him about Kennel and about the man in his house. "My spidey senses are telling me Leti was running away from somebody. Maybe she's hiding somewhere."

"Thank you, Michelle," he replied ruefully, "I trust your spidey senses. They give me hope." He paused. "Maybe after all of this is over, we could go out… you know, on a date."

I felt my face heat up. I sneaked a peak towards Ranger, since we were in the same room. He lifted an eyebrow, his lips on a thin line.

"Maybe," I said. I told Samuel I was working with Ranger, and about the meeting.

"Really?" he asked. "I hear he's wonderful. He has great credentials and everybody seems very optimistic about him. I met him a few days ago and I wouldn't want to piss him off. Did you two know each other?"

"He's Ricky's father."

"Holly shit."

"Tell me about it."

"Wow"

"Do you still want to date me?"

"I'll get back to you."

I chuckled and disconnected with Samuel. I had to smile even after the sad topic we discussed. Ranger watched me expectantly.

"He'll be here," I told him, biting my lower lip. I stood up to get a glass of water from the break room. I don't know how but Ranger slammed me against wall before I reached the door. I gasped in surprise, inhaling the scent of his shower gel. His body was perfectly pressed against mine. Ranger's hair brushed against my neck as he kissed my shoulder, then my neck, my cheek, and then my lips. It was a deep, passionate kiss but I was the only one panting at the end of it.

I unconsciously leaned forward, placing butterflies kisses on his neck. I was turned on, deprived of sexual contact, and I needed Ranger.

"Tell your friend to keep his hands away from you," Ranger said dangerously, his lips brushing lightly against mine.

Then, he was out the door, leaving me all worked up against the wall. I couldn't believe I had forgotten about his bat hearing abilities. Bat hearing isn't something anyone should forget about Ranger. He can hear locks tumble from afar.

How dare he kiss me like that and just leave? Apparently, the idea of me dating bothered him. In this case, my dating life was not his concern. What about the kiss? I was afraid to give that kiss too much thought. I wasn't sure where our relationship stood. Nonetheless, he did say he's going to find ways to make me pay. As far as I know, that might include sexual payment.

My phone rang. It was my mother.

"Stephanie," she said. "I heard your car got blown up today and Ranger saw everything. Is it true?"

"Yes, mother. It's true."

"Okay," she said, and sighed. "I'm expecting you for dinner. You can invite Sofia. Valerie and the kids are going to be here. Maybe Ranger would like to join us. Please, ask him. I'll see you later."

My mother hung up, and I stared at my phone. That was surprisingly easy. I thought I would never see the day she would take such news so lightly.

Ranger came into the room with Ricky next to him. I was still staring at my phone.

"Dinner at my parents?" I offered shyly, hoping he would declaim a dinner with grandma.

-rs-

Ranger parked behind my father's car. My mother and grandma were standing at the door like old times. I unconsciously bit my lower lip and got out of the car. Ranger was holding Ricky in his arms.

"Grandma!" he called out. "It's daddy, look!"

My mom's eyes grew wide.

"Ranger," she said, smiling, "its good to see you."

"Mrs. Plum," Ranger nodded. "How are you?"

We went inside. Ranger was keeping himself a significant distance away from Grandma Mazur. I smiled; she could still make a wonderful weapon. My father stood up from his sofa when he saw Ranger. He glanced briefly from Ranger and me. Then his stare stayed on Ranger. I was surprised because I've never seen my father act this way. I was watching two very protective alpha males having a staring contest.

"Mr. Plum," Ranger greeted. "How are you?"

"Grandpa!" My son wiggled out of his father's arms and ran to my father. Daddy kissed both of his grandson's cheeks.

"Are you two together?" he asked Ranger directly.

"No, we're not," I answered quickly. Ranger and daddy stared at me with blank faces. "What?"

My father took Ricky's hand and walked past us to the kitchen. He seemed mad at Ranger and I had a feeling he was mad at me too.

-rs-

Sofia had kindly refused my invitation. She was invited to dinner with her cousins in Newark. Valerie, Albert, and the girls came in late. We made our salutations and made small talk.

"I went to the salon," Grandma said, forking a piece of pot roast. "I asked around about Margaret like you asked me. I was very casual, you know. They didn't suspect anything at all."

Grandma glanced at Ranger and gave him a wink. He quickly popped a broccoli into his mouth and looked away. Daddy groaned and murmured something under his breath.

"Anything interesting?"

"Margaret was part of a book club," Grandma started. "Margaret's closes friends participated in it. Maybe you could ask them. Caroline was surprisingly eager to help. She gave me a list of contacts before I left. She wants Helen to join."

The dinner was surprisingly uneventful. Valerie kept glancing over at Ranger. He caught her eyes once, making her blush. Ricky was very happy with his cousins. He specially liked Lisa. They were close in age after all.

"The girls are young ladies now," I said, watching the two preteens chase after Lisa and Ricky into the living room. Ranger and my father were staring at each other in that room.

"I know," Valerie hissed. "It all started when Angie turned twelve. She developed overnight."

"Stephanie, that reminds me," my mother said. "Ricky's birthday is coming up. We really should throw him a birthday party. I think he would like it."

I thought about it. My son's laughter resonated through the walls. He was definitely happy, and at home. Ricky's birthday is usually just us two. We visit various places, and I take him to the toy store so he can pick a toy. Then I take him home with a birthday cake with his name one it. This year was different. My son was turning four and his family will be around to see it.

"Okay," I replied, thinking I would need to get more skips. My mother seemed surprised. Maybe she thought she had to fight for it.

-rs-

Ranger POV.

I surveyed Stephanie's new home as we walked into the living room. It was a beautiful humbled little house at the skirts of Trenton. She picked Ricky up with a little effort and started walking up the stairs.

"Thank you Ranger," she said gently. She decided to take the Buick, even though I offered her one of my cars. I made a quick call to have her car equipped for her needs, and safe with trackers.

I kept surveying the house, and made it up the stairs. Stephanie was helping Ricky brush his teeth, and into the bathtub. She looked up at me, but didn't say anything, letting me watch her prepare our son for bed.

"Keeping us within your sight?" She asked teasingly, tasting the waters. "I want to know because I need to shower."

"Is that an invitation?" I asked. Steph's cheeks turned cherry red. She instantly turned her face away and took Ricky out of the tub, toweling him off. I followed them into his bedroom, and I found myself amazed by his galaxy decoration. There were pictures of planets and galaxies everywhere. I wondered if it was Stephanie's doing, my son's or someone else's. There were a few frames too. They all looked like professional pictures of them together in the car, at the park, eating mountain of junk food. Steph placed his pajamas on the bed.

"He likes to get dress by himself," she explained, walking out of the room. I followed her, and we stood outside waiting in awkward silence.

"Sorry about my dad," she said to me, concern in her voice.

"He's a concerned father."

"I'm confused," she said, shaking her head in desperation. "I'm confused about everything."

"He doesn't want you to get hurt," I told her.

"Ranger, do you…" She looked away timidly, lowering her voice. "I know you hate me, but….if you could…"

"I don't hate you," stated before she could say anything else.

"Are you trying?"

"No"

"You don't call me Babe anymore."

I closed the distance between us and pinned her against the wall. I kissed her. I shouldn't kiss her or touch her, but I couldn't get my hands off her. I scanned her body with my hands, pausing at her hips, and sneaking my hands under her shirt. I felt her body heat under my fingertips. I started uttering things in Spanish, unable to stop them from slipping out of my mouth. I was in the moment. Then I heard someone burst into a fit of giggles and stepped away from Steph. We found Ricky staring up at us. He was standing with a hand over his mouth, and his pajamas were backward.

"I should go Ricky," I told him kissing his forehead. "I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

He nodded, still giggling.

"Stephanie," I said before walking down the stairs. I could still hear my son's soft laughter and Steph's hurried questions on my way down.

"What did he say, Ricky? Baby, can you tell me?"

I stopped on the landing, listening.

"He wants to kiss your body," my son giggled. "He wants to touch you because he misses you, and he's crazy."

"What?" I heard myself wonder at loud. Did I hear correctly? I ran back up and I found Stephanie in a deep shade of red. She looked at me with surprise in her eyes.

"Ricky," I said to my son. "Puedes hablar Español? Me entiendes? (Can you speak Spanish? Do you understand me?)"

He looked at his mother, confused. I had to try again.

"Que quieres para tu compleaños? (What do you want for your birthday?)"

My son's eyes opened wide and bright.

"*I want a big blue bicycle. Mommy says I'm little, but I want a bicycle for big kids. I'm a big boy. I want a bicycle like this," he opened his arms wide to indicate how big he wanted his bicycle. I smiled, listening to him explain. He was like a nonstop recording. When he starts talking, he doesn't stop until the very end. He was speaking to me in Spanish.

"*I'll give you a bicycle," I told him proudly, drew him into my arms. I pressed him against my shoulder and kissed his temple.

"Babe?"

"He had to learn Spanish," she explained. "I had my friend speak to him in Spanish. I also found someone who speaks Spanish to take care of him. She has this rule, that in her house you can only speak Spanish, so he practices. He practically grew up with it. He's your son, and he should know Spanish."

"Compensating for something?" I asked her. I know I shouldn't say it the way I did, but I was hurt.

"Ranger," she replied hoarsely.

"You did good," I told her, trying to keep my feelings in check. I had to put my hurt feelings aside, and recognize that she did great. I could any imagine how hard it was for her to ensure that he learned Spanish.

"Daddy," my son said, now tugging my arm. "Can you read me a bedtime story?"

"*I have to go, son."

"*Please!"

"Next time, okay? I promise." I tucked him in bed, and kiss him goodnight. Stephanie was still standing outside, and I knew she was silently crying.

"Lester will be here soon," I informed her. I needed to prepare for tomorrow's meeting.

"Not keeping us out of your sight?" She asked, blinking unshed tears, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Never"

We walked down the stairs. Stephanie closed the door behind me, and a new car pulled up on the driveway.

"Sofia," I greeted when she came out of the car. I should have known, leave it to Steph to attract all the danger. However, Sofia pushes away as much danger. I guess I should be glad they are friends, although I would never say it at loud.

"Hello," she said, playing with her keys. I nodded, and got in my car. I drove in silence, realizing that a lot of thing about my Babe's life have change. It might have been Ricky or her undying desire to fly that might have provoked those changes. My life…well, my life only moves forward if she's with me.

-rs-

Ranger: Babe?

Steph: Yes?

Ranger: Ricky has a tattoo on his forehead."

Steph (smiling): Yes, isn't it cute?

Ranger: It looks like Mushu from Mulan.

Steph: You watched Mulan?

Ranger: Babe

A/N: I hope you guys liked it. Please review, comment, or make any suggestion. Take care!


	11. Guilty Feelings

**Disclaimer: Copyright of Janet Evanovich. I only own Ricky and Sofia.**

**Note: **Okay... I don't like to make excuses, but I'm can guarantee there's a good reason why I haven't updated. I'm currently working on a short film. This is part of my second major, and it counts as my second thesis. It's fun to make movies, but it's also a lot of work. When I'm this busy is easy for me to lose grasp of the story, and my writing is affected. I like to wait until things calm down to keep writing.

I'm currently putting some of my videos on my blog, if anyone is interested. There you might also find deleted material from this fanfic. I didn't know what to do with it, so I posted it on my blog. Please, feel free to leave a comment on my videos if you like them. The Galaxy Extra: http : / involved2. wordpress .com/

Anyways, here's chapter eleven. I promise the next chapter is much better than this one (I'm hoping). Thanks to those who emailed me asking me to update. Thanks Fuzzy Minkerton the your encouragement. Also, thanks to Ladyofkeegan for editing this chapter for me. Now, I'll let you guys read before my English starts slipping away.

**Chap 11. Guilty Feelings **

We gathered into the conference room one by one. Ranger had invited not only the core team, but also a few other employees to the meeting. He sat at the head of the long table, and I chose the chair closest to him. We stayed in silence while waiting for the meeting to start. Even though I was used to his silence and usually didn't mind the quiet, this time it was killing me. I wanted to talk about the kisses. I wanted to know what he thought about me. He was silent and acting indifferent the whole morning. I was acting like a hopeful teenager. Sofia was the first one to arrive followed by a smiling Lester.

"What's up?" He greeted, and sat facing her in a flirtatious poise. He was relatively close, one arm supporting him on the table. Sofia stared into his eyes confused.

"The ceiling," she said pointing at it. A few of the Merry Men laughed probably thinking she was being sarcastic. Lester turned his head away the smile slipping away. I nudged Sofia's shoulder, getting her attention.

"What was that?" I whispered angrily.

"What?"

"You didn't have to be rude," I continued. "He likes you."

"He does?"

I rolled my eyes. Sofia is smart, educated, and trained in many skills. She could kill a man with one hand but she's poorly educated in the arena of mating. She had no idea how to flirt or when she was being flirted with. She's four years younger than me, beautiful kind, and her history of boyfriends was limited to one. The one and only, Christopher, a boy in high school she asked for a kiss so she would know how it felt. He later took advantage of her request… Men!

However, she's a die hard romantic. The lack of experience hasn't driven her away from books. She bases her standards on dating and love in what she learns from romance novels which she claims educational.

"What do I do?" She whispered back, and I shook my head.

"Just be yourself," I responded. She sat straight on her chair, uncharacteristically calm, staring at the pencil in her hand.

-rs-

The room started to fill up quickly. There were so many attending the meeting that a few of the Merry Men took the spaces standing in the back. Samuel and the feds arrived together.

"Good to see you Michelle," Sam greeted me, drawing me into a long and tight hug. We shared a sad smile and I patted his shoulder. Sam is a strong man. He worked in the New York City police department for twelve years. He has seen it all.

Finally, when we all were in our places Ranger handed out a detailed report on the steps RangeMan has already taken in the search of Leticia Movio. The feds representatives consisted of two people. The woman was Samantha Freedman. She was specialized in cases of missing children and sex trafficking. The man's name was Robert McCoy.

"You never cease to impress, Mr. Manoso," the woman commented, looking at the paper.

"I agree," Robert followed. "We have taken similar steps but never took the risks you have taken. These are very clever tactics and the FBI's rules restrict us from committing any of them."

"Thank you," corporate Ranger replied, ignoring Robert's tone of disapproval.

"Nonetheless, I'm afraid these risks have done very little in the search of Leticia Movio. My staff and I have concluded it would be best for us to combine forces. What are we doing wrong?"

We all stared at each other exchanging glances between another.

"What is Night Buzz?" Sofia asked gingerly looking up at Ranger with wide eyes.

"It's a strip club," Ranger explained flatly.

"What a suggestive name for a nightclub," Sofia remarked pulling out her laptop. "May I use your projector?"

Ranger gave a single and slow nod.

"Why Night Buzz?" She asked turning on the machine.

"We were following a lead," Ranger started to explain. "He was the man Stephanie found in Kennel's house."

I snorted, "found is not the word I would use. Who was he?"

"Andrew Matta, co-owns a nightclub named Midnight," Ranger said. "He said he was scouting out the competition and met a man that goes by the name Link. This 'Link' promised him to help him boost his business by selling him a couple of products, such as lights, stereos, video cameras, but most importantly entertainment. He assured him his nightclub would survive if he brought in some girls."

"He's negotiating," Samantha exclaimed. "He's opening his own business. I have seen this many times. He doesn't want to be the "link" anymore; he wants to be the boss. He's tired of being the middleman."

"What does that mean for us?" Samuel asked the question in my mind.

"This is good," she said. "I mean, I can't guarantee that anything bad would or has happened to her but it means she's still here. She's in New Jersey maybe even here in Trenton. The Link hasn't sold her or them out yet. He wants to exploit them himself."

"I don't see how that's any better," Ranger reflected leaning back on his chair. I have never seen him look so pensive.

"It isn't," Samantha proceeded, "but he's just starting out. He doesn't know what it takes. It takes years to create the perfect trafficking environment. He needs to instill fear upon them but he also needs them to trust him. He can't have the two. Usually, in these cases, there's always at least one woman involved. They get the trust of the girls, promise them freedom in exchange of sex while encouraging them to obey by brainwashing them."

"Betraying their own species," Sofia said darkly, narrowing her eyes.

"Yes," Samantha agreed, "but in many cases they have been brainwashed themselves."

"In that case," I started, trying to understand. "The Link might be having difficulty forcing them to do anything, and that includes having sex without putting up a fight."

I felt my body shudder in response to the mental image. It made the hairs on my arm stand up.

"W need to find where is he keeping them," I continued. "He could have them anywhere. A place where they can't be heard or escape. At least we know that they haven't been moved."

"I hate to do this," Robert said dismissingly, "we might be closer to the Link, but we don't know he has Leticia. Sex trafficking is Samantha's department. I'm a little more concerned in finding Leticia. The FBI still needs a motive or connection in order to continue with any further investigation. We are not sure this is a kidnapping."

Sofia cleared her throat, "I can help."

She projected her screen on the wall behind Ranger. We all turned around to see what she had to show us.

"I sort of stumbled upon an email during my search," she explained. "This email was sent to Leticia by a friend going by the name Lovelygirl18."

"You do know hacking is a federal offence, right?" Robert inquired, glaring darkly at Sofia.

"I said I _stumbled_," Sofia retorted.

"_Right"_

"No, she's right," I interjected. Robert was starting to annoy me, "this information could have popped up on her computer screen. It happens to me all the time."

"Things just come to you?" Robert asked sarcastically.

I nodded, "asked everyone in this room."

I glanced around, and everybody was nodding in agreement, except Ranger. The corners of his lips curved up into a small smile. I was amusing him.

"Leticia made a friend in Trenton during her last visit," Sofia continued putting up a picture on the screen. "Sarah Federico, she's eighteen years old. She used to work at a movie theatre. She and her mother disappeared four weeks ago when her father reported her missing. Sarah emailed Leticia about meeting a man at Night Buzz. Later in the week, Sarah emailed Leticia talking about running from a person by the name Link. Then Leticia disappeared. She might have related these things to her father before he died. Mr. McCoy, I give you the crime motive."

I smirked and glanced over at Robert. He was sitting with his arms crossed, staring at the screen. The guys smiled at each other. Lester stared at Sofia like he has never seen anything like her before.

"They talked about calling each other but I'm having a hard time tapping into their phones through the system."

"I didn't hear that," Robert said dismissingly. "I'm going to have fun reporting this to the office."

"If the Link isn't an expert, he'll most likely to return to Night Buzz." Ranger stated. "We most formulate a distraction; get him out of the club, and right to these girls."

I smiled confidently and started to formulate my own plan. If the Link wanted clients, especially big bucks clients, then, we were going to give him one.

-rs-

Ranger and I dismissed the feds and Samuel. They were quite pleased with Ranger's presentation. I didn't blame them. Ranger's good at pretty much everything. He even made Ricky start eating vegetables. My son now likes to eat baby carrots and tomatoes without me having to trick him into eating them.

Samuel and I exchanged a few words before he left. He promised to come visit Ricky and me when things slowed down.

I spent most of the rest of the day helping Tank with his assignments. Leticia's case has delayed most of his work. I enjoyed the responsibility because it made me feel useful but part of me thought he was doing it on purpose. He was forcing me to work closer to Ranger.

I have been going in and out of his office all day, but we have managed the very minimum exchange of words. The silence was killing me. My best guess is that his earlier proposition had nothing to do with his feelings towards me. Time, I told myself. I need to give him time.

I finished Tank's paper work and delivered it to Ranger. He flipped through the papers, scanning the reports, his hair falling over his eyes. He looked sexy and I dare say adorable. My wandering hand reached out to move the strands of hair away. I didn't think about it. It was one of those natural, subconscious things. I blushed at the idea of loving Ranger being natural to him. I didn't question my caring for him, or loving him. Ranger's blank face came into play. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, and I was expecting him to say 'Babe.' The action left me a little confused. I wasn't sure if it was rejection or confusion.

"This can't happen again," he said.

"What?" I wondered. "Did I say something aloud?"

"No," he said thoughtfully. "I shouldn't have kissed you."

Hot tears threatened to leak from my eyes. Ranger murmured a few things to himself, unrecognizable to my ears. It felt like Ranger's version of an apology.

"You said I owed you," I said darkly.

Ranger stood up and walked around the table towards me. My body relaxed a little, in response to the warmth and softness of his eyes. I wasn't the only one battling an internal conflict.

"Yes, you owe me," he said, "and you'll pay in due time. We'll all pay in due time, Steph."

"Suddenly, I don't like riddles," I confessed softly. This conversation is a puzzle. Our relationship is a puzzle.

Ranger moved quickly, putting a hand the back of my head, and bringing me closer to him. I closed my eyes enjoying his lips against my forehead.

"It's a shame, you're good at them," he told me. I gulped and took a deep breath.

"I should go," I mumbled. "I need to get back to Ricky."

Ranger nodded in response, and I made my way to the door.

"Steph"

"Yes?"

"I have taken the liberty to tap your phone line," he said, "just in case the stalker calls again."

I opted for a nod, too tired to complain, and left the room.

-rs-

The drive back to the house was quiet. I didn't even bother to turn on the radio. Ranger has always been difficult to understand. I shouldn't find his silence strange but it was frustrating. I didn't know what was going in his head and the burning guilt in the middle of my chest was killing me. Our situation is more than complicated. It's not like anybody would take easily the idea of having a long-lost-son. It was too much to take.

"Mommy!" Ricky yelled from the porch when I got home. I walked up to him and dropped a kiss on his head. He quickly wrapped his arms around my legs. Sofia picked him up from my parents' house and spent the rest of the day with him.

"What did you do today?" I asked him a we made our way back inside.

"I played ball with Tia Sofia," he said excitedly, "and we made cookies and grandpa gave me another book."

"Wow, It sounds like you had fun," I commented.

He nodded, "is daddy coming today?"

This is hard. I have to get use to the idea of sharing my son with someone else. I'm used to Sofia and my dad taking care of him, even Ana. They love him, and Ricky loves them. However, Ranger seems to represent a much bigger threat. It was a stupid feeling because Ranger is his father. I shouldn't be jealous.

"I don't know, baby," I responded. Ricky's smile dropped. It me feel guilty.

I dialed Ranger's number on my phone. I glanced around and found Sofia sitting at the bottom of the stairs. She was dolled up.

"I need help," she said desperately. I signaled her to give me a second. Ranger picked up the phone.

"Yo," I said in a desperate attempt to break the tension between us.

"Stephanie"

"Ricky wants to talk to you," I sighed, "Are you busy?"

"No, is he okay?"

"He's fine," I said, and handed the phone over to Ricky.

"Daddy!"

He skipped into the den and threw himself on the sofa with the phone in his ear. I examined Sofia's outfit.

"Where are you going?" I questioned casually. Sofia stood up, running her hands over the wrinkles of her skirt.

"Is this okay for a date?" She asked nervously. My eyes widened in response.

"A date?"

"I asked Lester on a date," she informed me, now playing with the hen of her shirt.

"You asked him out," I exclaimed in amazement. It wasn't like Sofia to ask someone on a date. I could only imagine how the whole thing played out.

"You said he…likes me," she stammered a little.

"Yes"

"I'm not sure how to do this makeup thing," she replied. "It's like a torture device for women. Can you help me?"

I chuckled in response. This is going to be very interesting.

-rs-

Lester and Sofia had a dinner date. He came around six to pick her up, a big smile on his face. I glared at him disapprovingly when he walked into the living room. It was my way of giving him a warning.

"Relax," he said. "She asked _me_ out."

"Maybe I should stay," Sofia whispered in my ear. "I can help you with dinner."

"Don't worry about me," I demanded. "Go!"

I saw them drive away from my window, silently hoping Sofia doesn't kill him. Ricky was slouched on the sofa watching his cartoons. I figured I could make use of Doña Ana's recipe book and cook him something. It was time to concentrate on the hazardous task ahead. Stephanie Plum has to cook.

I figured I could make a combination of foods. I decided on chicken empanadas, white rice, black beans, fried plantain, and vegetables. I would feel like a bad mother if I didn't make vegetables. Ricky likes the baby carrots and the cucumber slices. It was a lot to cook, but I needed to stay busy, anything to keep Ranger off my mind. I needed to stay sane, but the stress was slowly building up in my body.

I gathered the ingredients on the counter, and proceeded to put things together. The rice was steaming and the beans boiling, everything was going well. I just hope it tastes good as they looked. Half an hour later, Ricky walked into the kitchen and climbing up on the stool to watch me.

"Whatcha you doin?" He asked.

"Cooking," I replied cautiously. He was up to something.

"Can we play, mommy?"

"I'm busy, honey."

He grimaced and pouted, "please."

Ricky and I don't spend enough time together. As a single parent, I work many hours to make sure he has everything he needs.

These past weeks I worked until late, sometimes coming home after eleven, leaving Ricky with my parents. I didn't have a chance to spend quality time with my son, which is why Sundays are special days for us. I take him to the park or to the movies, hoping to make up for my absence. It's nice to interact with him. He's an only child and sometimes he feels lonely. He misses his friends in New York. Rex could only keep him company for a limited among of time. He never talks back, and he can't play hide and seek.

"We can play a game after dinner," I said with fake enthusiasm. The truth is that I was tired. "I'm making your favorite, empanadas."

"Okay," he mumbled and walked off to the den. I heard the television turn on. The tears that threatened to escape in Ranger's office returned. I couldn't hide them anymore.

Ranger resents me for hiding his son. My son probably resents me too, and it's all my fault, everything. I put Ricky and myself in this position. I kept my son from his father, and I can't even be a good mother to him!

The tears in my eyes streamed down my face. I couldn't breathe, silent sobs sneaked out with difficulty. I sat down, hoping to calm down, staring into nothing, becoming oblivious to my surroundings. I guess the stress and the tension of the day only made things worst. I'm a horrible parent!

I don't know for how long I cried. I didn't even notice when the food in the frying pan started sizzling and burning.

"Stephanie!" someone yelled eventually. I snapped out my trance and found Ranger over the stove. He took the burning pan off the flames and into the sink. It sizzled once more and produced smoke under the cold water. Great! I can't even cook!

I hastily swiped the tears off my face, and quickly walked out of the room, passing Ricky on way upstairs. I was ashamed and I didn't want them to see me. I closed the door behind me, submitting to my feelings of distress.

-rs-

I woke up two hours later to Ricky's small hand caressing mine. I didn't remember falling asleep.

"You okay, mommy?" My son asked me softly. Ricky's eyes were wide and puffy. I knew immediately that he had been crying. I offered a smile and drew him into my arms, hugging him for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry, my love," I told him, and planted a kiss on his head. Then my stomach decided to express its opinion.

"Did you eat?" I asked Ricky. He shook his head, "no."

I washed my face with cold water and headed back down to find Ranger sitting at the table. He was staring straight at his plate, slouched back, his arms folded over his chest. He looked up when I came into the room.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled.

He nodded slightly, "Ricky didn't want to eat anything. He was worried about you."

My hand tightened around my son's. The table was set, the food nicely placed, cooked, and ready to eat. Ricky rejoiced at the discovery of empanadas. He danced on his chair while I filled up his plate.

I wondered if Ranger cooked the food himself or he required Ella's help, the fairy godmother of food. However, I was afraid to ask him. Ranger's expression became solemn as he watched Ricky. I noticed that Ranger didn't take a single bite as he alternated between staring at the food in front of him and watching Ricky.

-rs-

Ranger: Babe?

Steph: Yes?

Ranger: I'm taking Ricky for a haircut.

Steph: Noo! *tear* It's gorgeous.

Ranger: It's just hair.

Steph: Why don't you cut your hair?

Ranger: I like my hair.

Steph: Please review with your comments and suggestion. We might not have to cut Ricky's hair.

The Galaxy Extra: http : / involved2. wordpress .com/


	12. It Hurts to Love

**Disclaimer: Copyright of Janet Evanovich. I only own Ricky and Sofia.**

**Note: **Hello everybody, I hope you're all doing well. I just noticed I have been signing my replies with "best of the best," and what I mean is best of the best to all of you. My friend was confused so I'm clearing that out. Secondly, this chapter is a little bit more like a filler. I'm still working on my short film and writing papers (I think my brain is fried). My film is due in two weeks, and I might not be able to update until then. Thank you to all of you still following this story, and willing to wait. I hope this chapter is enjoyable. Stephanie needed a mental break before things get bad. Thanks to my beta, ladyofkeegan, and all of you for reading and/or reviewing. Please, let me know what you think about this chapter.

Best of the best,

~MissPadfoot

**Chapter 12. It Hurts to Love**

There is not other way to put it. It hurts to love. Love is the most difficult, complicated feeling, sentiment, and action of them all. My mother warned me about love. "One day," she would say, "you'll fall in love, Carlos, then you'll understand. You will be wishing for things you never wished before and then things will change, honey. I just hope you'll be happy, because love also hurts."

She was hurting. It hurt me to see her hurting. She's strong but even the strongest men I have met have their moments. I'm having one of those moments right now and I have seen many things in my life that never made me even take a second glance. I looked at Stephanie's bloodshot eyes and it pulled something deep inside me. She looked down, in an attempt to hide her eyes from me and I just watched her helplessly. I knew she was overcompensating with the food and teaching Ricky Spanish. She was finding ways to fill my absence and that hurts.

Love hurts.

I contemplated the situation, trying to find a strategy that would get us out of this misery. My only consolation is that we might come out of this one even stronger but there's no way of rushing time. It hurts.

We finished dinner in that same fashion. She kept hiding those gorgeous eyes from me and I unsuccessfully pretended not to notice. She started picking up the dishes and I asked Ricky to wait for me in the den. He was excited about some book Mr. Plum had given him. I took the rest of the dishes and found Stephanie battling with the plates in the sink. I waited for her to say something but she didn't. I thought _I _was the silent one. My best guess is that she would tell me if something was going on.

"Babe," I said softly, hoping the word 'babe' would bring a smile.

She quietly started sponging the dishes. I took a towel from the cabinet to help, making a mental note to get her a dishwasher.

"Do you want to know why I don't call you Babe anymore?" I asked in an effort to make her talk to me. I wanted to know what was going on but she wasn't saying anything. I wondered if she ever felt the same way about my silence. She waited a couple of minutes to respond

"Why?" She finally rasped.

I started putting the plates back in the cabinet, "because you don't call me Carlos."

She finally looked up at me, confused.

"We have a child together," I continued, "and you don't call me by my real name. I think it's wrong."

"You never asked," she responded quietly, focusing her attention on an old rusty pan.

"I did, Steph," replied. I knew this wasn't the appropriate time for me to say anything but I asked her four and half years ago. In the last few days, I started overusing her name, hoping that she would take the hint without me telling her.

"I asked you," I continued, "and now I'm asking you again. We have a long way to go from here."

"Ranger," she sighed.

"Stephanie," I annunciated. She will take the hint. She looked away from me, and I noticed a smile.

-rs-

I put Ricky to bed and read him a bedtime story, just like I promised him. It was a new experience for me. I would have never thought I would find myself in this position. It got me thinking of Julie and how I never got to pamper her the same way.

Ricky fell asleep before I was done reading. He is a sweet child, bright, and quick. He also inherited his parents' good looks. If he's as good as me, he might give me a run for my money.

It surprised me how happy he seemed with my presence. It made me wonder if he ever felt lonely all by himself. I grew up with five brothers and sisters. It was hard at times, but I can't imagine how it would have been without my sister, Celia. She was the one I interacted the most, maybe because she was the eldest, and she always lied to get me out of trouble.

Ricky probably had friends in New York. Maybe it's time for him to meet his many cousins in Newark. Then I remembered that Stephanie's nieces were here in Trenton. I also couldn't leave out RangeMan, Stephanie's Merry Men. They also love him and they are practically kids.

I brushed his hair away from his eyes and he stirred in his sleep, putting his thumb in his mouth. I smiled to myself, pulling out his finger and he moved his mouth like a fish.

A sudden revelation took me by surprise. I wasn't worried about Ricky being lonely. I shook my head trying to push the idea out of my head because it would just complicate things. I need time. There will be a time when my ego, my pride won't be on the way. Only then, she and I could have another child. Stephanie owes me a pregnancy anyways.

-rs-

I found Steph asleep in front of the television. She had a crazy week, no doubt about it. She has been working hard on this case. It was close to her heart.

She looked peaceful in her sleep, her hair scattered over the arm of the sofa. I turned off the television and carefully pulled her into my arms. She nestled her head on my shoulder and I carried her up to her bedroom.

Once she was in bed, I took off her shoes, and debated taking off her clothes. I had a feeling she would feel uncomfortable sleeping in her jeans, so I slowly took them off too. She stirred a little, mumbling something in her sleep. I pulled the blanket up to her waist, and tied up her hair so it wouldn't make her uncomfortable throughout the night.

I lost against temptation and lightly brushed my lips against hers. She inhaled in her sleep, arching herself against me, and whispered my name, Carlos.

Stephanie is my weakness. I left the room before things worsen.

-rs-

Steph's POV

This morning, I woke up at seven with a smile on my face. I had a vivid dream and I could have sworn my room smelled like Ranger.

On that note, I had no recollection of how I got there. I remember falling asleep on the sofa, thinking of ways to spend time with my son. I remember listening to Ranger read to Ricky through the door. I loved that he was making an effort to spend time with him. It was better than expected and it warmed my heart. Ranger and Ricky were developing a good relationship. Ricky adores Ranger and Ranger loves Ricky. I had the feeling that he has loved him since the moment they met.

I stepped out of bed and found myself half naked. I was in my underwear and the t-shirt I was wearing the night before. The strange thing is that I couldn't remember taking my clothes off or tying up my hair.

-rs-

Ricky was already up watching cartoons in the den. He was huddled up in his blanket, with his thumb in his mouth. I could tell he was still sleepy because his eyes were half open. He probably woke up to use the bathroom and decided to stay awake. He has been more careful after the accident at Ranger's apartment. He's still embarrassed, my baby. I walked over to him and planted a kiss on the top of his head.

"Ricky, big boys don't suck their thumbs," I said gently.

"Uhmm"

My son fluttered his eyes my way. I got a glass of water from the kitchen and borrowed Sofia's computer. I joined Ricky on the sofa and he pulled closer to me. He was wrapped in his sheets, playing with some toys.

I watched him for a few seconds. I know all of my son's toys. I'm the one who has to find them when they mysteriously disappear, usually finding them under a bed or in a closet.

"Ricky" I said casually. "Where did you get those toys?"

"Daddy gave them to me," he yawned and nestled into my arm. I took one of the little miniature cars from his hand. It was a collector's design from the early sixties models. My father used to collect them when I was growing up. These are expensive little toys.

"When?"

"Today," he said.

"Daddy was here?"

My son nodded. Of course, Ranger comes in and out of whatever place he chooses. Locks and security mean nothing to him. Yet, why show up this early just to give his son a toy?

Ricky turned the car over and showed me the marking on the back. Someone had written RC on it with a red marker. My son's initials are CR and Ranger knew that. I observed the little car in my hand. It was in perfect condition, but it looked used. I had a feeling that it meant something.

"Daddy said I have to take care of them," Ricky said quietly.

"Yes," I said. "You have to take good care of them. I think these were daddy's toys too, Ricky."

-rs-

I had two emails from Joseph. The first one was the reply to my previous email. He was apologizing for the incident at the senior center and hoping we could talk some more. I smiled and moved to his next email, except it wasn't from him.

_Dear Stephanie Plum,_

_ My husband tells me many good things about you. I found your email address on his computer and I couldn't resist. I've been in house arrest by my mother in law and that witch woman, grandma Bella. She says my baby is going to have a third eye. A third eye! They insist I stay home and rest. It's "good for the baby." Please, drop by my house this week, anytime before four. I need to get away from here._

_Best, _

_Amy Morelli_

I stared at the words on the page. Uhmm…Reply or not to reply? I don't know anything about Amy Morelli. She sounded friendly but why would she want to meet me of all people? I will have to find out.

-rs-

I started breakfast, deciding on eggs, toast, and fruit. It sounded good enough to me. Sofia came down an hour later. She yawned a greeting and sat on a stool next to Ricky.

"How was your date?" I asked hiding my amusement.

"It was good… I think," she said, "at least that's what I hope."

"Well, it depends," I said casually. "How did it end?"

"We had dinner then we walked around for a while," she said timidly. "He dropped me off around eleven and I gave him my card."

"It sounds good," I giggled.

"You're laughing."

"I'm not."

"Yes, you are laughing at me!"

"He didn't try to kiss you?"

"We shook hands," she said defensively. I wished I could have seen Lester's face. The image was too strong for me. I laughed.

"Great! Thank you,_ friend,_" Sofia huffed and forking her eggs. I took a sip of water and tried to control my laugher.

"I'm proud of you, Sofia," I said. "It's good to get out of your comfort zone. It's Lester's face that I wish I could have seen."

"Are you doing anything today?"

"Yes," I said happily. "Ricky and I are going to the beach."

-rs-

I loaded a mini fridge and a beach umbrella into Big Blue. I prepared a change of clothes, a basket of food, and sunscreen. I buckled Ricky in his seat and headed to Point Pleasant.

I was escaping from life, just for a few hours. I had to take a break from all the things going on in my life, even if it was just for a little time. Besides, I need to spend time with my son. Sometimes we can't enjoy the little pleasures in life because we are caught up with our problems. Ricky was growing in front of my eyes, and I needed to see, to enjoy it.

I was on my way out of Trenton when I noticed there was a car following me. I tried to keep calm. It was most likely Ranger's Merry Men.

I took a few turns, and drove around in a zigzag. It didn't take long for me to lose them. I made a quick stop and threw all the trackers out of the window. My phone rang within minutes. I glanced briefly at the name on the screen and put it on speaker.

"Where are you going?" Ranger asked neutrally.

"Ricky and I are going to the beach," I said and waited for his reaction.

"Okay," he replied slowly. "I would feel better if you let Lester and Cal follow you.

"We'll be fine, Ranger," I snapped.

"Stephanie," he annunciated.

"Ran….Ca…Ranger, we'll be fine," I said. "Nothing will have happen to us at the beach."

I imagined Ranger leaning back on his chair and rubbing the bridge of his nose. He was silent for a few seconds.

"Are you still tracking me?" I'm sure I missed a few trackers. They were probably at the bottom on my car.

"I'm on my way to a stakeout," he said, "call Tank if I don't pick up the phone."

"Ran… We'll be fine."

"Don't go crazy," he ordered hurriedly.

"Don't get shot," I replied softly with a smile. He hung up without saying goodbye.

-rs-

Ranger's POV

_A few hours later_

"This wasn't my idea of a relief," Tank commented darkly. I ignored him and readjusted my binoculars. The woman in the black swimsuit was now coming back with buckets of water for her son's sand castle.

Tank stood next to me, leaning back against the railing separating the sand from the wooden sidewalk. I could see him shaking his head in disapproval through my peripherals.

"This is work," I said.

"Maybe we could lock Stephanie and you in a room," he commented thoughtfully to himself.

I glared at him, "her car got blown up just two days ago. Don't you think I should worry?"

He stared at me knowingly and turned around to face the beach. Ricky was dumping water into the sand, too late for Stephanie to stop him. She caught the bucket half way, spilling the water on Ricky in the process. He laughed and poured the rest of the water on her lap. Steph leaned forward to catch him but he took off running and she started running after him. A groan escaped me as watched Steph's beautiful chest bounce, her hair shining under the sun. I wanted so much to touch her, all of her. I saw a few of the man staring after her, and it made me uneasy.

"I can't endure watching this anymore," Tank complained. "Why do things have always to be so difficult between you two? This is frustrating."

I never heard Tank complain so much in my life. Actually, I never heard him complain. He was getting on my nerves.

"Why don't you just go wait in the car?" I asked plainly.

"Yeah," he said in a tone I didn't recognize. "I'll wait in the car."

Tank was asking for serious mat time. He's being asking for trouble for a while now. I understand that he's looking out for Stephanie, but it's none of his concern.

Steph trapped Ricky into a tickle attack. She planted a kiss on the top of his head and walked him back to the umbrella to give him water. I watched them sit under the shade to build their sand castle, mesmerized by their interaction. Four years ago this was only part of my dreams.

A blonde woman in an almost invisible bikini suddenly stepped into my view. I looked up to find her standing right in front of me.

"Hello," she said with a smile. "Are you looking for something?"

She pulled at the strap of her bikini and flashed me her nipple. I looked at her with a blank face. I guessed she looked okay, that's if you're the type of man who likes watermelon sized fake boobs.

"Yes," I replied blankly, "and you're blocking it."

"You don't know what you're missing," she snarled making an ugly face. "I can see why you're friend left."

She pointed at the parking lot and stormed off. I looked over my shoulders and saw my truck at the distance. Tank was driving out of the parking lot without my permission. I dialed his phone.

"What do you think you're doing?" I questioned.

"You and Stephanie have some issues to discuss," he said. "You know you almost panicked when you saw Stephanie's car leaving town. I'm doing this as a friend, not you're employee."

"Turn the car around," I ordered calmly. It was my way of letting him know I wasn't happy.

"Mats tomorrow," he said before hanging up.

I gripped the phone in my hand. Tank was going to pay for doing this! I called Lester and ordered him to pick up. He refused and mentioned some sort of mutiny against me back at RangeMan, and that I had to fix things with Stephanie. In the meanwhile, none of them planned to bring me a car. He also informed that Ella had set up a pastry station in front of the building. What are they thinking? I'm the boss!

I watched Stephanie and Ricky play with sand, and made my resolution. I bought a pair of shorts from a nearby store, bought food for three, and walked over to Steph's blanket. I might as well take advantage of the situation.

-rs-

Steph's POV

Ricky and I walked back to our station after a splash in the water. It was noticeably less humid than in the previous morning hours. We hopped over to the umbrella and found a man laying on his pack on my towel. It was Ranger, wearing a pair of black shorts, and his usual sunglasses. I would have marveled at the view if I wasn't pretending to be angry.

"Daddy!" Ricky jumped on his chest and Ranger's eyes flashed open. He made a sound of complain at the sudden drop of weight. He sat up holding an overexcited Ricky.

"I thought you were on the job," I said dryly. "Why are you here?"

"I took a break," he said, "and I wanted Italian."

I felt his eyes scanning me, making me feel extremely self-conscious. After Ricky's birth, I was left with a few stubborn stretch marks over my stomach. I tried to cover them, but trying to play it confident. I was glad my swimsuit covered part of them. Ranger pointed at the bags next to him. My stomach growled and I looked inside. I couldn't complain to the man who brought the tiramisu.

We ate in silence –as quiet as I could possibly eat- and occasionally glancing at each other. The reality is that we were both escaping from reality. We were aware of the many things waiting for us outside the sand.

It felt good for the most part, maybe with one exception. I was applying sunscreen and heard Ranger growl. I looked up to find a muscular young man standing next to me. He offered to help me with my sunscreen. I hesitated for a few seconds, a little flattered. I was about to reply when Ranger's hand suddenly appeared and he snatched the bottle away from me. Ricky was too busy working on his sand castle to notice.

"No, thanks," I said apologetically.

"She's a beauty," the admirer said to Ranger walking off. "You're a lucky man."

I blushed and reached for the bottle in Ranger's hand. He moved it away quickly, before I could reach it.

"Lay down," he ordered. I hesitated once again, but sighed and rested on my stomach. I could see Ricky working on his project from my vintage point. Ranger untied my top, bringing a welcomed tingling sensation down my back. I love his hands on my skin. He was practically giving me a massage.

"You're tense," he stated, working my shoulder muscles.

"It has been an insane week," I said uncertainly, unsure if I should aim for small talk, "but now I'm laying here under the sun and Leticia could be going through hell for all I know. I feel guilty."

Ranger's movement slowed around my lower back.

"You shouldn't feel guilty," he stated. "This is how you deal with pain and stress. You have done it before and I don't blame you."

"I'm surprised to hear you say that," I confessed. I had a feeling he was trying to make sense of something more, maybe my breakdown. We stayed quiet for a few minutes.

"Ranger?" I muffled, formulating a sentence, preparing the things I had to say to him. I watched Ricky dump another bucket of water on the sand.

"Stephanie"

"I'm sorry," I sighted, holding on to my top, and trying to sit up. Ranger pressed me down, letting me know that he wasn't done. "If I could go back in time and change everything I would. I never meant to hurt you this much, Ranger."

"It's Carlos."

"I didn't have the right to just storm off like that," I started rambling now, feeling my muscles tense. There were a few tears pooling in my eyes. "I know you resent me, but we need to work together, and we have a son together. We need…. Ouch! Why did you do that?"

"I like you better when you're angry," he said darkly.

"You slapped my ass!" I complained angrily and tried to sit up. Ranger gently put pressure on my shoulder, making me lay back down. I looked up to see if Ricky had noticed anything. He didn't.

"You have to stop calling me Ranger," he said calmly caressing the red spot on my butt.

"This is inappropriate," I said. "Would you stop doing that?"

"I'm not done."

"What is wrong with you?" I inquired. "You didn't have to do that."

"Much sexier," he responded.

"Okay, this is abuse," I stated. Ricky and the old couple next to me stared at us. Ranger smiled at them and they went back to what they were doing.

"I agree," he said. "We have to work together but you have to start calling me by my first name."

I moaned feeling Ranger's hands now working around my leg muscles. I resolved not to complain and fell asleep.

-rs-

Ricky: Daddy?

Ranger: Yeah?

Ricky: I love you *hug*

Ranger: *surprised* I love you too.

Ricky: Good, can I have ice cream? *puppy eyes*

Ranger: Hey, that's not fair

Steph: *giggles*

Ranger: Babe...Please review, leave a comment or suggesting...anything really...


	13. Mrs Manoso

**Disclaimer: Copyright of Janet Evanovich. I only own Ricky and Sofia.**

**NOTE: **Hello everyone! I hope everyone is doing well. I'm finally done with my movie, so now I have a little more time to focus on this story. I hope you guys like this chapter, drop me a comment to let me know. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. Thanks to my beta, ladyofkeegan for editing this for me. Take Care!

**Chap 13. Mrs. Manoso**

**Steph POV**

Today, I'm taking back my life. I applied some mascara and lipstick from the Mac Wonder Woman collection. It made me feel empowered. I put on a comfortable loose black cargo, and a red tank-top and French braided my hair.

My first stop was my parents' house.

"Stephanie," my mother greeted at the door, "how's my grandson?"

It's wasn't all about me anymore. She didn't even ask how I'm doing. Ricky is the baby now, not that I'm complaining much. He ran up to his grandmother, hugged her, and ran inside in search of his grandpa.

"I'm interning at St. Francis today," my mother said, "your father is staying with Ricky."

My mother's eyes focused on the car parking behind my own. It was Lester. I rolled my eyes and waited for him to step out of the car. I needed to talk to Ranger about my bodyguards again.

"Are you bounty hunting with me today?" I asked teasingly.

Lester shook his head, "I'm your babysitter."

"You're in charge of protecting Ricky?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Ricky can't be followed around all this life," I complained aloud. I wonder how Julie deals with these things.

"I'm afraid you'll be alone today," Lester informed me. I looked at him questionably. "If Ranger wants to protect you, then he will have to do it himself."

Great! I looked around. There was no Ranger. I walked back to my car, and put on my sunglasses. It's time to Rock n' Roll.

My first skip of the day: Mark Reese. He was arrested for shoplifting at a comic store. I put the car in reverse and headed over to Stark Street.

The house looked lonesome at the distance. I tried to profile the skip based on the information written on the file. Reese was probably one of those boys that lived in his parent's basement, playing videogames all day. Let's just hope this guy isn't scary looking. Maybe I should start boxing. I keep dwelling on what happened at Mrs. Kennel's house. It was the first time such a thing happened to me. The hatred in his eyes paralyzed me. Well… I would have probably killed him if Mrs. Kennel had not beaten him up with her bat. The first person I would have killed in last five years.

We'll persevere! This is my job, and I like it. I don't have to love it, though it has its benefits. I conjured my inner wonder woman and she gave me guidelines.

_Knock on the door and be polite. _

The door opened to reveal a small woman with short hair, wearing a white summer dress, and holding on to a small child. I knew how this was supposed to come out.

"Hello," I greeted politely. "I'm looking for Mark Reese."

"My lazy-ass brother," she grimaced, "isn't he out of your league?"

"I'm here about his missed court date," I informed her.

She rolled her eyes, "I'll get him to you."

The woman disappeared and came back a minute later.

"He took off through the back, but you might get him before he jumps the fence. He's in horrible shape. Go through this alley."

_Reward or Compliment those who help you. They will help again if you need them._

"Thank you," I replied. "I love your haircut."

She beamed and ran her fingers through her hair.

_Run! _

The ally was a little cluttered with car peaces and other stuff. I jumped through them to be very end until I came face to face with the FTA. He was clumsily trying to climb up the tall fence.

_Stop him or her._

They might be able to run far, but that's just part of the job. I pulled on Reese's jeans, and he fell to the ground with thump.

"Jesus! Woman, I just stole a couple of comics," he complained. "It's not like they are made out of diamonds!"

"Then you shouldn't be running away from the law in the first place," I argued. He shoved me into the fence. I took hold of his arm with both hands and pushed him back towards the fence next to me. He lifted his arm, ready to strike a blow, so I ducked out of his way. Reese's fist hit the fence and he started dancing in complaint. I put my leg between his, and hit him in the stomach. Then as he doubled over in pain, I pulled out my gun and aimed.

"On your knees," I yelled, "now."

I cuffed him and tucked my gun in the back of my jeans before pulling him into a standing position.

I gave Reese's sister a finger wave and cuffed him to the hanger rod inside the car. One down, three more to go.

**Ranger POV**

I kept revising the files on my computer, trying to find a connection. Leticia Movio is now on list of missing persons for the twentieth day. She is a good student, loves sports, and participates in a variety of student clubs. She has never done detention.

We have only managed to uncover three dirty brothels. We dismantled a drug operation, but can't find Leticia Movio. Maybe Steph was right. She might be hiding somewhere, but where? And who is she hiding from whom? The Link? I stared at the computer screen for a few seconds, hoping it will give me the answer. It didn't.

I stretched a little, opened my search engine, and typed my daughter's name. The computer screen presented me with her history. Of course, my name erased from all of them. I switched to the reports from my employees. They adore her and I know they would do anything to keep her safe. They keep updating me about her life, placing pictures, and notes on their reports. They want me to know what's her favorite dessert, what color dress she wore to her sister's sixth birthday, and that she likes to drink warm milk at night when she can't sleep. They also like to remind me that she asks about me, about all the time.

The latest image was taken a few months ago. It was Julie's junior high school graduation. It was a picture of us together. She was hugging me. I was holding on to her, trying to bring back the little five years old girl who liked to climb on my lap when I came to visit. I was enjoying the moment of reverie when the door swung open.

"Carlitos, mi niño bello," a familiar voiced called out. My first reaction was to shut my computer in an impulse. My mother thought it was funny to call me 'my beautiful little boy' in front of my employees, while simultaneously barging into my office unannounced. Who's doing monitor duty? Clearly, my employees thought they could defy my authority.

"Bendición Mamá (your blessings, mother)," I greeted, quickly scrambling the camera in my office. She walked over to my desk and kissed my forehead.

"Dios te bendiga y te proteja (God bless you and protect you)," she said. Then she stood back, examining me, making sure I looked healthy. My mother's eyes fell on my fingers drumming the top of my computer.

"Were you watching porn?" she gasped. "M'hijo, you know that stuff is bad for you, right? Research shows porn is addicting. Do you want to become addicted to porn? I thought you had overcome that stage. It's not like you can't get a girlfriend. Maybe a permanent one, I would like that."

"I'm not watching porn, mother."

"Show me."

"Seriously?"

"Carlos," she scolded using her pissed off voice. I opened my laptop, the screen coming to life when I opened it. My mother walked closer to the computer, adjusting her glasses, and her eyes grew soft.

"Julie," she said gently, recognizing my daughter. "She's gorgeous, isn't she? She's a young woman now."

"She's still a child."

"A child with boobs."

She sat on the chair in front of me, and placed her purse on her lap. I noticed she teased her hair to make it look wavy. It was now falling over her shoulders, and she was letting it go completely grey.

"You look beautiful mom," I complimented. She and I have a complicated relationship. She has been working on fixing it ever since Ella made contact.

"I was born beautiful," she explained. "Where do you think you get your looks?"

I ran a hand through my hair, "what are you doing here?"

"Ella said you have news," she said.

"Of course she did," I replied.

"Ella said Stephanie's back," my mother confessed, "and that you have very important news for me. She said you would call me, but you never called. I said to myself, 'Lorena, maybe it's not important.' Then I remember I'm freaking Ranger Manoso's mother. I don't have to sit there and wait. I can go get the news myself. After all, that's the only way I can get anything from him."

Did I just hear my mother say the word "freaking"?

"And here you are," I concluded.

"Honey, how did you feel when you saw her?" She asked softly. "Most importantly, do you see yourself resuming an emotional and intimate relationship with this woman? By intimate, I do mean sexual, and with the possibility of reproducing babies."

"Are you reading those psychology articles again?"

"Are you getting married?"

"No, I'm not getting…"

"Carlitos, you know that I worry about you."

"Stephanie didn't come back by herself," I said cautiously.

"Son," my mother sighed. "I told you so many times to give up, didn't I? I didn't want you to get hurt, but you insisted. You said she loved you, Carlito. I told you so many times to…"

"I have a son. Stephanie and I have a son."

She stared at me in disbelief. My mother sat straight, her eyes wandering to the left side of the room. I could tell she was deep in thought, wondering why this had to happen to me. She has six kids, and out of those six, I'm the most troublesome. I'm the only one working in a dangerous field and the only one alone, completely disconnected from family.

"She named him Carlos Ricardo," I said and waited for her to take in the news. "We call him Ricky."

"Son, I'm sorry," my mother replied, "but I have to ask. Are you sure he's yours?"

I nodded, "he looks like me, mami. He's just a few shades lighter than me, brown straight hair, and he has his mother's eyes. He's a smart kid, very imaginative."

I found myself smiling unconsciously, thinking about my son. My mother smiled ruefully.

"It has been four years," she muttered finding my eyes. "I'm sorry, m'hijo."

"Not your fault."

"This wouldn't have happen if you have told her you love her," she said sternly. Just leave it to my mother to find the oddest times to reprimand me.

"When am I finally going to meet this woman?

"I don't want you to insult her."

"I don't insult people. I'm honest with them," she said and rolled her eyes.

"Do not insult her," I repeated, "don't hurt her."

"We are all fools in love," she said. "I'll expect you, Stephanie, and my grandson for dinner."

"Mom"

"Today or we'll make it Sunday dinner," she threatened. I hated Sunday dinners. "Juan is going to be elated. This is the first grandson that can actually carry on the name."

"We are in the middle of a case. It's better if we don't leave the Burg, and I'm not going to put Stephanie through dinner with Celia and triplets."

"I'll tell them not to come," my mother offered calmly.

"You'll have to wait until the case is over," I insisted.

"Fine," she said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She walked over to me and kissed my forehead. I lifted an eyebrow quizzically.

"Call your grandma," she ordered before leaving the room.

**Steph POV**

I hate running! I took off after Albert Manson. The man had guts, and long legs, but so do I. I was angry, and I hate wife beaters. Manson was just little heavier than me, not too muscular, but I didn't feel threatened. He didn't inspire the same fear the man in Kennel's house made me feel. I shoved it away in my mind for later. I took advantage of the lightness of my body in comparison to the skip, and I jumped on his back. He growled in complaint, and I pushed forwards with my body until he hit the ground face down. Then I cuffed him, and tried to pull him up. He wasn't cooperating.

"C'mon, stand up," I ordered. "I don't have all day."

He refused. The idiot. Suddenly, I heard steps, two pairs of feet running towards me. It was Bobby and Tank.

"Bomber," Tank laughed. Tank was laughing! There was a slight tone of surprise in his voice. I stood behind my skip, hands on my hips, watching the boys' eyes examining the FTA on the ground and then me. They looked at each other and burst out laughing once more.

"Great job, Bombshell," Bobby complimented pulling the Manson to his feet.

"We were working at the corner library when we saw you fly on his back," Tank said amusingly. "It's great to see you in action."

I felt my cheeks heat up. Manson didn't fight against the guys. He walked all the way to my car out of fear. Bobby pushed Manson into the seat next to me. I had three FTAs already in the back. Bobby shook his head and started texting on his phone.

Eddie and Joe were standing by the front desk, hovering over some papers. I pulled Reese out of the car.

"Don't touch me," he yelled jerking away from me like I was fire, "somebody get me away from this woman! She's crazy and she's dangerous."

Joe, Eddie, and some of the other officers stared at us in confusion. Great! They might arrest me for bounty hunter brutality.

"Stephanie?" Eddie questioned in confusion.

"Yes?"

"Cupcake," Joe greeted. He kissed my cheek and peeked into my car. "Who are these people?"

"FTAs," I explained and flavored the look on his face.

"She jumped on my back like a monkey, and then she pushed me into the ground," Manson complained angrily. "I think my back is broken. I feel the pain."

"Come out of the car," Eddie ordered. Manson stepped out. "If your back was broken, you wouldn't be able to move. Actually, you'd be in the hospital by now, probably dead."

"Great job," Joe said with seriousness in his voice.

"Thanks"

I got my receipts, adjusted my sunglasses, and walked back to my car. Joe was waiting for me, leaning against the door. He had a slight grin on his face.

-rs-

"Thanks for the ride," Joe repeated after a long silence. He asked to take him to the mechanic to pick up his car.

"It's my pleasure," I replied glancing through the mirror. Tank and Bobby reappeared on my view. They were keeping a significant distance away from me. I don't think anybody else would notice, but me.

"How's Ricky?"

"He's doing great," I replied. "I took him to the beach yesterday. He loved it. How's Amy?"

"She's doing alright," Joe replied thoughtfully. "My mother and grandma are driving her a little crazy. I was hoping you could talk to her for me."

"Why should I talk to her?"

"She's scared about giving birth," Joe said –to my surprise- quite nervously. "I was hoping you could appease her fears a little. She told me she emailed you."

I nodded, "I'll visit her soon. It's been a little hectic lately."

I stopped at the red traffic light. Tank and Bobby appeared next to me. I gave them a finger wave.

"You should take this panic bottom," Bobby yelled through the window smiling. "We don't want the boss to panic, though you seem to be doing great. Your car is being tracked, of course."

I chuckled and grabbed the little bottom. The light changed to green and I wave them goodbye, turning into mechanics' street. Joe paused before opening the door.

"How are you doing, Steph?" He asked. "Please, tell me the truth."

"I'll be okay, Joe," I said simply. We stared into each other eyes for a few seconds. I had a feeling he was asking about Ranger.

"We are both trying to figure things out," I confessed after a pause, "in our own ways."

Joe nodded before leaning towards me and kissing my forehead.

"You love him, Cupcake," he replied before stepping out of the car. I waved him goodbye, and watched him go. Joe's words sounded like he was just making the realization for the first time.

-rs-

"What do you guys know about Amy Morelli?" I blurted out entering the bond's office.

"That's random," Lula commented in surprise.

Ricky followed behind me eating a TastyCake for the first time. He kissed Connie and Lula on the cheek and climbed up the sofa, too engrossed in his pastry to pay attention.

"She's a journalist," Connie informed me. "She's known for her frisky and feminist columns on the Star Ledger. She moved here after her husband died four years ago. Now she works for City Times. I think it's an insult to her talent."

"You like her," I stated relaxing a little. Maybe Amy meant well.

"I like her writing," Connie replied and looked at me suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"

"She wants to meet me," I said. "She sent me an email, but I found it a little odd. I don't even know her."

"She seems alright," Lula said.

"Is there work for me?" I asked.

"I gave you four FTA's," Connie reminded me.

"Done," I replied giving her my body receipts. They both looked at me in confusion.

"You can look through RangeMan's folders," she said after a pause. She gave me the stack of folders and I sat down next to Ricky to review them.

"Are you short in staff?" I questioned. "What happened to Joyce?"

Lula snorted, "She has a catch rate of five percent to zero."

"People like Joyce like competition," Connie added. "She always wanted to prove she was better than you, Stephanie. She was jealous."

I felt myself blush one again. I took their observations as compliments. I looked through the folders and picked the ones that seem appropriate. An elegantly dressed woman walked into the room. She wore a pair of khaki trousers with a belted white top. The woman's hair was turning completely gray and she didn't seem to care. She styled her hair in modern bombshell waves that reminded me a little of Storm, from X-men, but older. The three of us exchanged a glance.

"Hello," she said politely, "I'm looking for Stephanie Plum."

"Stephanie?" Connie asked suspiciously without looking my way.

"Yes, Stephanie Plum," the woman said. "I understand she also works for this company."

Connie's eyes traveled my direction and I immediately stood up, ready to introduced myself.

The woman turned around on her heel, her hair flying back in the process. There was a moment of awkward silent in which her eyes scanned my body from head to toe. She looked at me with her light brown eyes and bestowed a 200 watt smiled.

"I'm Lorena," she said. "Lorena Manoso."

I felt the blood drain from my face.

"I'm Lorena… Stephanie," I stammered. "I'm Stephanie Plum."

She sighed, "I'm sorry that we had to meet this way, but I was eager to meet the woman my son has been looking for the past four years of his life."

I subconsciously lowered my head and started biting my lower lip. I felt like I was being scolded. This woman hates me! I don't blame her for hating me.

"This that my grandson?" She asked looking over my shoulder. Ricky was looking up at us, eyes wide.

"Ricky, this is daddy's mommy," I explained taking his hand. "She's your grandma, Lorena."

Ricky slipped off the sofa and offered his hand to his grandmother, all very adult-like.

"Hello Ricky," Mrs. Manoso took his hand and ran a hand through his hair. Unsatisfied, she took him into her arms. "You're the spitting image of your father, little boy. I might take you home with me and never return you."

Ricky's eyes found mine in alarm.

"Mommy won't be happy," he said wiggling in her arms. "I'll stay with mommy. I take care of mommy."

I beamed, and quite proudly.

"Yeah, your father used to say the same thing," she said grimly. My happy moment was short lived.

"Would you accept my offer for lunch, Stephanie?" She asked. "Can I call you Stephanie? I figured after what has happened we should refer to each other in first name basis. Would that be okay?"

"Yes, sure," I mumbled grabbing my things. I gave my farewell to the girls and headed out the door with Ranger's mother.

-rs-

Mrs. Manoso: Here son, eat this muffin.

Ranger: No, thanks mom.

Mrs. Manoso: I insist, eat it.

Ranger: Mom?

Mrs. Manoso: Son, you're looking at Stephanie like she's food, trust me… you need a muffin.

Ranger: Mom...

Steph: Awkward...

Ranger: Babe... please leave a review or comment or suggestion. These are all welcomed. Oh! Don't go crazy, take care.


	14. Pieces of the Puzzle

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything Stephanie Plum, that's property of Janet Evanovich.

**Note:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I appreciate the encouragement. There were a few people I wasn't able to reply back, Lisa and Janet Fan. My goal is to update more often, thank you ladies. Also, thanks to my beta ladyofkeegan for editing this chapter. She's a busy mommy. Ricky and I are very proud of her, she's wonderful. I would also like to add that I'm currently looking for another beta to help out with these chapters. If anyone feels up for it, send me an email. It should be fun. Take care everyone, and I hope you will enjoy this chapter.

**Chap 14. Pieces of the Puzzle  
**

Mrs. Manoso flipped back her hair and smiled my way. The lunch had consisted of questions and answers. Where did I live? How did I meet her son? Has it been hard being away from home? Who are my parents? The questions were nonstop. Thankfully, most of the questions were for my son. The expression on her face expressed astonishment and disappointment when she learned the date of Ricky's birthday. Ranger's and Ricky's birthday fell on the same day.

"Do you love Carlos, Stephanie?" She asked when the dessert arrived. Ricky's eyes moved from hers to mine. Obviously, he was intrigued about our conversation. Most importantly, he understood the question. She noticed my gaze and smiled warmly, her eyes focused on my son. She took her fork and fished some of Ricky's dessert.

"Nice," she commented teasingly. "Are you sure you don't want to move in with grandma?"

Ricky shook his head, "I can't. I take care of mommy."

"Of course you do," she said in teasing lament. "Would you come visit me?"

"Okay," my son nodded. He scooted closer to her and gave her a hug, thinking she was sad. I took a sip of water and lowered my head shamefully.

"Would you mind if we drop Ricky off at RangeMan?" She asked abruptly. "I would like to talk to you alone. I'm sure Ella would be more than happy to take him for a few hours. She gets this look in her eyes every she talks about him."

"Sure," I answered reluctantly. This woman's presence had me speechless. I didn't know what I was in for by talking to her, or what she wanted to accomplish. I'm quite sure she hates me though.

-rs-

We drove up to RangeMan and found Ella sitting behind a pastry table outside the building. Ranger was standing with his arm crossed by the door, watching the guys helping Ella pick up the trades. Mrs. Manoso parked her car right in front of him and in front of mine. Ranger's eyes fell on her car and then mine. He had on his blank face.

"Did he order you to pick up, Ella?" Mrs. Manoso asked, glancing at her son accusingly, stepping out of her car.

"No, I think it's going to rain," Ella replied loudly. Ricky rushed out of the car towards his father; his little feet couldn't go fast enough and I feared he might fall. Ranger stopped half way, blank faced, taken by the moment. He directed his eyes at me. I guess he didn't expect his son to be so happy to see him.

He effortlessly picked him up. I envied him for that! Ranger gave his son a kiss on his forehead, and closed the distance between us.

"Daddy," he exclaimed breathlessly. Ricky swallowed and wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Mommy says I can have a birthday party, and all my new friends will go," Ricky rambled. "Tia Sofia says I will get lots of presents and a big cake. A moon and batman cake."

"A moon and batman cake?"

"He wants a cake with a moon and batman themes," I explained. "Moon and batman themes, together."

Ranger kissed his son's forehead, the hint of a smile playing on his lips. He set him on the ground and off he went to give Ella a warm hug…and possibly get a pumpkin cookie.

"Did she give you any trouble?" He asked in a deep tone, and his eyes traveled to his mother. She was helping Ella with her pastries. They seem in deep conversation. Ranger actually sounded frustrated.

"You could have told me she was coming," I continued, "and she hates me."

"Did she tell you that?"

"No"

"I had little warning," he said. "She's an unpredictable storm, and she doesn't hate you."

"I would hate me," I said thoughtfully, more to myself. Ranger looked into my eyes. "If I was your mother, I would hate me too."

"Babe"

"Why is Ella selling pastries?" I asked curiously. Ranger's blank face came back to play. He stared at the guys as they carried the things into the building.

"It's a long story," he said.

"Does this have to do with your lack of transportation at the beach?" It didn't hurt trying.

"Tank and Bobby were supposed to keep an eye on you," he stated. Ranger wasn't having a good day. I refrained for asking more questions.

"I can take care of myself," I whispered angrily.

"I know," he replied after a pause, "I like taking care of you."

Mrs. Manoso walked towards us holding Ricky. Ranger's blank face was still on.

"Mom," he said. "I thought we had an agreement.

"I did not insult her, baby," she answered indignantly and shaking her head. It sounded weird to hear anybody call Ranger by "baby." There was nothing "baby-ish" about Ranger.

"Did I insult you Stephanie?"

I shook my head.

"See?" She said. "Now, you stay with Ricky while Stephanie and I have a little chat."

I blinked and glanced at Ranger. He seemed like he was upset but I wasn't sure. Mrs. Manoso took my arm and guided me towards my car. She got in the passenger seat and waited for me to get in. I looked over my shoulder to Ranger, trying to find an answer to my unasked question. Should I go? I felt weird leaving Ricky with Ranger. He was probably busy, but I was also terrified of Lorena Manoso.

She stared into my eyes and I ran into the car before her they fired lighting. I secretly wondered if Storm from X-Men ever fired lighting through her eyes. I wasn't sure. I got in the car and drove away.

-rs-

Mrs. Manoso and I stopped for coffee at a local café in front of the park. We took our table, she ordered a dark coffee, and I ordered a mocha latte.

"Stephanie means crown," she said with a smile, then her voice drop to a whisper, "and you sure are a heck of a crown."

The waiter interrupted to bring us our orders. She poured a bag of sugar into her coffee and took a sip.

"I know my son is not… He's not the easiest person to understand," she continued looking into my eyes, "but he made me a promise a few years ago, and I expect him to live up to that promise."

"What was the promise?" I asked gingerly.

"You'll find out when the time is right," she told me casually. Great, just what I needed another mystery for me to solve.

"I wanted to meet you first and get to know you. I have my own questions to answer. In all his life, my son has never shown interest in anybody," Mrs. Manoso explained quite seriously. "He never talked about women to us, never introduced us to anyone. We started to wonder, you know. It was getting suspicious."

She chuckled at my expression.

"Then we heard about you," she said looking into my eyes. "Celia liked to grill him on anything Stephanie Plum. He wouldn't say much, of course. He's very private, and he never said anything to me. Nonetheless, I can't hide the fact that I felt relieved, thinking that my son would finally let someone take care of him for once, someone to make him happy because all I would see was that stupid blank face."

Mrs. Manoso's voice became clearly emotional by the end of her last sentence. I know that face. I'm quite familiar with it. Ranger would put on that face every time we talked about "us." Mrs. Manoso grabbed a napkin and cleaned the tears rolling down her eyes. She inhaled the rest of her tears away.

"I understand, Mrs. Manoso," I said sincerely. "My relationship with Ranger has always been complicated. Our relationship was always been quite confusing, even to me. I know you're probably here to address the fact that… that I left."

"Stephanie…"

"Mrs. Manoso," I interrupted holding up my hand. "I understand. I was the girl that left and made Ranger's life miserable for the last four years and a half. Got pregnant and didn't even send him the message. Mrs. Manoso, I understand why you hate me. I'm not trying to make excuses for myself, but believe me when I say that I do regret what happened. I will regret it for the rest of my life. Please, just let us move forward, because it would make things a lot better for us. "

She blinked a couple of times, she didn't say anything, just took a sip of coffee. I waited impatiently for a reply. She didn't say anything, and I felt the tickling sensation of the tears threatening to make their appearance.

"Mrs. Manoso," I chocked.

"It's Lorena," she said. I wiped the tears with the back of my hand before they fell.

"My son's eyes sparkle when he speaks about you," she said softly. She running her finger over the ring of her cup, "I don't hate you, Stephanie. But I do need to know honestly, do you love my son?"

I nodded timidly, staring at the design of the table.

"Okay then," she said smiling. "I know that he loves you, but for what I understand you're both equally stubborn. I don't want to worry about the three of you. There isn't just the two of you anymore. Therefore, whatever happens between you too, you have to think about the consequences…and think about me. I'm getting old and I need more grandchildren. Let him love you, dear, make it easy for him."

She sounds like my mom. Mrs. Manoso laughed. Why was she chuckling? Did I just say that at loud? Darn it! My phone decided to interrupt. I checked on my phone and it was grandma. I excused myself and picked up the call.

"Stephanie," Grandma Mazur yelled at my phone. "Stephanie, is that you?"

"I hear you Grandma," I said. "You don't have to scream."

"Honey, would you pick me up?" She asked. "I need a ride home. Mary was supposed to pick me up, but she's not here, and I don't want to be late for today's viewing."

I could hear some yelling in the background, followed by the sound of something that sounded like a dryer.

"I can't grandma," I said. "I'm sort of busy."

"Helen is at the hospital," she said, "and your father can't pick me up."

"Are you at the salon?

"Salon? No dear, I'm not at the salon," she said. "I'm at this little store. It's lovely, just come get me. You're going to love it."

I took a minute to process everything and wrote down the address. This place sounded familiar to me for some reason. I looked up at Mrs. Manoso sitting in front of me.

"My grandmother," I explained. "She wants me to pick her up."

"Oh, lovely. I would love to meet your family," she said excitedly, gathering her things. I love Grandma, but this might not be the greatest idea.

-rs-

Seriously Grandma? Pleasure Treasure? Couldn't it be the knitting store or the senior center?

"Stephanie," she hollered standing at the door. "There's someone here who wants to see you."

Mrs. Manoso was already out the door.

I noticed the store looked a little differently from the inside. There were dildos and other toys propped on a shelf, looking colorful with their discount signs. They reminded me of the way bakers display their goods. Its official, Ranger is sending me to live with penguins. We made our way to the cash register.

"Good morning ladies," the man said looking down at his notepad. "How may I help you today?"

"Sally?" I was surprise to see him. Sally Sweet looked up from his notes and stared at me in surprise.

"Stephanie?" He questioned and walked around the desk to hug me. He embraced me, lifting me up in the process. "Holy Sh…! It's you! You're really back. You're f-fudging back."

"How are you doing?" I laughed. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm alright," he said in disbelief. "I had to stop my previous work because I couldn't stop cursing. Now I'm working here, got in trouble a few days ago for public indecency, but I swear it meant nothing. The woman who denounced me had a problem with my earrings. Oh crap, you're here to take me in, aren't you?"

"No," I chuckled.

Sally looked at his watch, "good because I still need to make my quota or I could get fired."

I looked around the store. It was empty.

"Isn't this store great, Stephanie," Grandma asked me nudging me. "It's good for us single ladies."

Grandma was standing next to the shelf of dildos. She was gesturing towards them, a big smile plastered on her face.

"Uhhmm," Mrs. Manoso responded to Grandma's comment. I cleared my throat.

"Grandma, Sally, this is Lorena Manoso," I introduced. "She's Ranger's mother."

Grandma whipped her head around, her eyes examining the woman next to her, and then she smiled.

"Your son has a nice package," she complimented confidently with a smile. My eyes almost came out of their sockets. Grandma!

"Good," Mrs. Manoso replied taken back. "Good for him."

She walked away from us, browsing through the store.

"Grandma!" I complained in a low voice. "She doesn't need to know if her son has a big package or not."

"Why? I was just being honest, dear," she said. "Parents like it when you compliment their children."

"What are you doing here?" I questioned suspiciously. She looked at me with excitement.

"Remember the ladies from the salon?" She asked. I nodded.

"I told them that you're looking for that missing girl. What's her name? Leticia, I told them you were looking for Leticia. Carol said she remembers seeing Kennel coming into this store. I came on your behalf, to ask some questions, and explore, of course. That's when I found Sally here."

I glanced over at Sally and pulled a picture from my purse.

"Have you seen this guy?"

"uhmm… I think I have, yes," he said. "He has been here. He came looking for somebody else, a girl."

"He did?"

"Oh yea," Sally moved behind the register and pulled a receipt out a drawer.

"He was following a man, Andrew Matta," he informed giving me the receipt. "Matta is a frequent buyer at this store."

My spidey sense went off.

"Stephanie, you should get one of these," Grandma said happily. I turned my head to see her pull a dildo out of a bag. It was big and pink. She turned it on to demonstrate and the machine came to life making a loud noise, rotating around its base. I realized that what sounded like a dryer on the phone was a dildo. Grandma started shaking it in a suggestive gesture.

"Grandma, I don't think you should get that," I said nervously.

"Why?" She questioned loudly over the noise. She sounded disappointed. "I like it. It's for a great price too. Men my age usually need a little help, you know, getting it up."

"I don't know," I chewed my lower lip. My mother will flip, my father will move out of the house.

Mrs. Manoso looked our way and smiled. It couldn't have been more embarrassing. She looked at the machine in Grandma's hand and replaced it for something different.

"It's too noisy," Mrs. Manoso interjected. "It sounds like a broken motor. This one is quite silent," she said, "I think you will enjoy this one better."

She walked back to another shelf and I stared after her a little surprised.

"Could I help you Madam?" Sally asked Mrs. Manoso. I snapped out of my trance

Ranger's mother was looking through the products. We both walked over towards her. It was filled with creams, editable underwear, and toys.

"Do you know if this cream is hypoallergenic?" She asked holding up a bottle. "My husband and I tried one similar to this one, and it gave him a weird rash."

I became slightly pale.

"Rashes! You have to be careful with rashes," Sally exclaimed, using his hands to explain. "Has he gotten tested? I've had weird rashes before, not pretty."

"Rash?" Grandma pitched in, "Anthony from the senior center had a rash around his…"

"Grandma," I said warningly.

"It was an allergic reaction," Mrs. Manoso corrected him. "Now we only use organic products."

"Organic is always good," Sally wave his hands dismissingly. "We don't have organic, but let me interest you in a Couples' Vibe Crown. I think you'd love it."

"I have one," she said proudly, "but I'll get one for Stephanie if it makes your quota. As long as she promises to use it with my son."

She smirked and tilted her head to the side, searching for me.

"And add a bottle of those oils," she continued.

I almost fainted.

"Stephanie, you're looking a little sick," she said. "Are you okay?"

I nodded and swallowed.

"M'hija, sexuality is a very important part of a person's life," she explained with a professorial, informational sort of voice. "Orgasms help you relief stress, regulate hormones, and it's good for your hair. It also improves your mood. I think my son and you could benefit from such great exercise. You know…_together_."

Grandma smiled my way. She was grinning.

"I like her," she said, turning on the apparatus in her hand. By the end of the day, Mrs. Manoso and Grandma left Pleasure Treasure with a bag filled with goodies. I had a few of my own, courtesy of Mrs. Lorena Manoso.

-rs-

We dropped Grandma off at the viewing. The place was almost empty because we got there a little too early. I took a few minutes while Grandma showed Mrs. Manoso the owner's handy work.

I called Sofia. She was shadowing the Internet and phone usage of Leticia's friend. It was little scary the way in which she could tap into someone's computer so easily. The day I decided to open a private detective agency, I asked Sofia to be my partner due to her fabulous computer skills. The truth is that Sofia is a freelancer, she doesn't work for anybody. I was surprised she said yes to my proposition.

"How are you?" I asked

"I'm bored!" She exclaimed. "I need to do something, shoot somebody, anything. I would love to bury a body right this moment."

"You and I both," I stated. "I have a job for you. I want you to look up a credit card for me. Andrew Matta made a purchase at Pleasure Treasure store, yesterday afternoon. He paid with a credit card. The last four digits of the credit card marked on this receive are 4700. RangeMan ran a search on him, but it doesn't hurt trying again. I was wondering if you could match it with the database, maybe also his computer."

"Will do," she replied happily. "Oh! I have another date with Lester."

"Again? Wait! I have another call."

"Okay, call you when I'm done."

I closed on Sofia and picked up the other call. It was Ranger.

"Ricky wants to talk," he stated.

I chuckled knowingly.

"He likes to talk," I said seriously.

"I noticed," he replied solemnly.

"Ranger," I sighed.

"Stephanie," he articulated. He was trying to teach me a lesson. I was trying to force myself to say it, but my tongue was tied.

"Just talk to him," I pleaded. "You just have to ask him questions. He will go off on his on. You don't even have to say another word. You might learn something new."

There were a few seconds of silence before he asked, "Is my mother still with you?"

"Yes," I said looking over my shoulder.

"She's an interesting woman," I continued, nodding to myself.

"She wasn't always like this," he said.

I told Ranger about Sally and about Mr. Matta. He and I agreed that something wasn't right.

"I don't feel good about this man," I said. "My intuition rarely fails, but this goes beyond suspicion, he sort scares me."

"You should not be scared of him," Ranger said in serous tone. I know that he didn't like the idea of letting a criminal go free after a RangeMan capture.

"I think I'll keep my eyes on him for a while. We'll be there in a few," I reminded him, "talk to your son!"

**Ranger's POV**

Ella refused to watch Ricky, arguing that it was my responsibility, and that I had no reason not to take care of him. This is part of their plan against me, do anything that might annoy the boss, like not following orders. I buckled Ricky in the back seat of the Cayenne and took him on a little detour. I would normally not supervise security projects with a child, but I didn't have any other option.

"Daddy?"

"Yo"

He giggled, "I want to sit next to you."

"No, you can't," I replied gently.

"Why?"

"Because you're a child," I explained, "and under New Jersey law, you have to sit at the back. You should be in a kid's seat, secured. You can't sit next to me."

I glanced at him through the mirror, and chuckled silently. Ricky was upset. He pursed his lips, crossed his arms tightly, and glared at the seat next to me. Maybe he was hoping it would catch on fire.

I know I should not find my son's tantrum funny, but the look was priceless. We have spent little time together, but I have learned a lot about him in such a short time. Now I know what makes him tick, authority. My son doesn't like rules or authority. He reminds me of someone, me. This might become a problem.

"Please," he pleaded.

"Fine"

I pulled over and helped him to the seat next to me. Then I continued driving silently for a few minutes.

"Daddy?"

"Uhm?"

"Are you mad at me?" Ricky questioned unhappily. I glanced at him once again. My son's eyes had turned soft, wide, and moist. He looked like he was in the edge of tears.

"Why would I be mad at you?" I asked him, not quite understanding.

Ricky sod silently, "because… I want… I want to sit next to you."

"No! What makes you think I'm mad?" I inquired.

"You don't talk to me," he rasped, his bottom lip quivering. "You are mad."

"I can't talk while I drive," I explained softly. I'm bad with kids, not other people's kids, just mine.

"It's dangerous," I told him, hoping to sooth him.

"Mommy talks to me," he said, "and we sing songs."

"Songs?"

He nodded, and my hands tightened on the stirring wheal. This is going to be a very long day.

-rs-

Ricky: Uncle Cal, would you come to my birthday party?

Cal: Sorry kid, the boss wants me to work.

Ricky: He's a meany.

Cal: I know. He won't even let me eat cake.

Ricky: *Gasps and runs to Ranger* *amazed* Daddy, Uncle Cal's boss is a meany. He won't let him eat cake!

-rs-

Ranger: Babes, please summit a review. It would make me happy for about an hour at least... I don't know my happy meter hasn't working properly. Also, Cal might be able to make it to Ricky's party, and I'm looking for a second beta reader to help out. Have a wonderful and beautiful week. Click on the review link.


	15. Home Invasion

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, sadly.

Note: Hello! How's everyone? On the Plum related world, I heard a few good things about the new book. I'm still waiting for my copy**. **I've also joined the Babe_Squad, which I found by coincidence. It's a great group, though I have mostly been lurking around, reading all the interesting discussions (these are very smart ladies). Anyways, I will like to thank everybody for reading and reviewing. I would like to thank JessicaRenae for editing this chapter for me, thanks to her Ranger knows about Casper. And, thanks to Ladyofkeegan for her support. I'll be in touch soon, and hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Thanks!

**Chap. 15 Home Invasion **

I took Mrs. Manoso back to RangeMan safe and sound, thank God! We walked over to Ranger's office, and I watched in disbelief as she opened the door unannounced. The image that welcomed us melted my heart; it was definitely one of those "aww" moments.

Ms. Manoso pulled a camera from her purse and took a few pictures of them. The flash alerted Ranger, and his eyes snapped open.

"Mom."

He was lying on the sofa, holding on to a sleeping Ricky in his arms. I'm quite sure there was a good reason for why my son was dressed in a batman costume.

Carefully, Ranger sat up and rearranged our son in his arms. Mrs. Manoso planted a kiss on Ricky's head, and then Ranger's.

"I love you," she said to Ranger, "but I have to go. Don't be upset."

Ranger arched an eyebrow, "funny."

"Stephanie, dear," she said turning to me. "I'll expect you two for dinner, once the case is over."

I smiled awkwardly, "It will be my pleasure Mrs. Manoso."

"Call me Lorena," she reminded me. "Goodbye, Carlistos."

"Adios Mamá," Ranger replied.

"Play nice," she sang before leaving the room, "and enjoy the new toys."

"Toys?"

"You don't want to know," I muttered. Ricky snuggled into his father's arm with a sigh, hiding from the light in the room.

"Did you have a good time?" I asked gingerly, suppressing a smile.

"He spent most of the afternoon asking each of my employees if they would come to his birthday," he explained, running a hand through his hair. "Then, around five he transformed into batman."

"I can see that," I answered. "Is this Ella's handy work?"

"Partly," he said standing up. He laid Ricky on the sofa, removed the mask, and used the cape as a blanket.

"I heard you brought in four FTAs today," he said. "Is it true?

"Yes."

"Sofia trained you well," he commented more to himself, than to me. "I don't think I ever helped you much."

"I learned a lot from you," I said thoughtfully, "but having a child was a good motivation. It gives you perspective on the importance of your life."

"I ran another search on Matta," he said changing the topic. "He's clean. If he's hiding something, then he's doing a great job."

"I don't like him," I stated. "He has this look in his eyes…"

"Mommy," Ricky mumbled staring up at us. I glanced at the clock.

"He's probably getting hungry, I'd better get him home," I said to Ranger. "Are you hungry, baby?"

Ricky nodded pulling himself upright on the sofa.

"Stay for dinner," Ranger offered.

"Sofia's expecting us," I explained.

"I'll have Tank follow you home," he replied quickly.

"About my babysitters," I inserted. "I'm not comfortable having them around all the time. Most importantly, it's not fair for them. They have more interesting and important things to do than follow me around."

"I pay them well," he replied. The phone on his desk decided to interrupt my response.

"This is important," he said, glancing at the caller ID.

I nodded and let myself out of the office, deciding to pay Tank a little visit. I left Ricky sitting on Ranger's couch, content, for the time being, with playing his Nintendo DS.

I'd never seen Tank in office mode before; he sat at his desk typing quickly on his laptop. Startled and caught off guard, I stared at him fascinated. He had on a pair of reading glasses, although he wasn't using them. Instead, he was reading the text on his screen through the bottom of his lenses. It reminded me of my father reading the menu at a restaurant. Tank must have sense my presence.

"Bomber," he said, still typing.

"Tank." He looked up from the screen and grinned.

"Would you mind training with me?" I asked timidly. "I need to improve my methods of self-defense."

"Why? Sure, bomber," he said, "gladly."

"You on Bomber duty today?"

"Nope," he said giving me a mischievous grin before going back to his typing.

"Good," I replied and made my way back to Ranger's office. My suspicions became real. The Merry Men are revolting against Ranger.

"We have a situation," Ranger stated flatly when I came back into the office. He buzzed Cal and Tank from his phone and they joined us within seconds. He asked Cal to take Ricky to the bathroom and to get a snack. He waited for the door to close before continuing.

"The FBI is determined to go public with the kidnapping of Leticia Movio, Sara Federico, and the three other girls," he said. "They sustain they have enough evidence to go public, hoping to scare the Link or whoever is behind the kidnapping."

"How do they know these cases are connected?" I asked.

"They all disappeared around the same time," he replied. "Three of them are from Jersey, one girl is from Texas, and they come from very low income families. Leticia is the big exception. She doesn't fit the typical human trafficking profile. They are doing us a favor by dropping her name with the others."

"What does this mean for our investigation?" I questioned. "Wouldn't that make them more careful? I'm not sure I like this."

Ranger sat back in his chair, his eyes wandering around the room. Tank sank on the sofa, leaning forward with his hands clasped together.

"We should have acted more quickly," Tank proposed.

"We've only being on this for a week," I said, "even if it does seem like forever."

"I know what you mean," Tank groaned. He seemed deep in thought, concerned.

"Let's move the distraction job forward," Ranger said. "See how our perspective changes. Stephanie has something on Matta. I want a man on him."

Tank nodded while standing, "and the Kennels?"

"We should follow them too," I suggested. "They seem to be one step ahead of us and we need to figure out what they want from Matta."

Tank opened the door to leave, as Cal was about to knock. They exchanged a barely noticeable nod and Ricky watched Tank leave with curiosity painted on his face.

"Mommy?" he asked casually.

"Yes, baby?"

"Uncle Cal's Boss is a meany," my son sighed.

-rs-

When we arrived home, Sofia and Lester were making their way out. I had completely forgotten about their date. Sofia was wearing a pair a dark jeans and t-shirt, Lester looked a little more put together.

"Steph," Sofia called out and hurried over to us. "I got a detailed charge report on the credit card you gave me."

"Anything interesting?"

She nodded, "it's not his card. It's under the name of Mario Alconde. Are you sure this is the credit card he used?"

"He made a private order," I answered. "Sally was sure it was him. Unfortunately, they don't have security cameras in the store."

Lester opened the car door for Sofia. She glanced his way with uncertain eyes.

"Lester and I are going to a haunted house, I'll see what I can get off his computer when I get back." she said before making her way over to the car to get in. "Don't wait up."

"Have fun," I shouted as they drove away, "and behave!"

I pulled my half-asleep son out of the car, and carried him into the house. I sat down on the sofa, holding him closer to my body, enjoying the ability to snuggle while he is still small enough to let me.

It was one of those still nights; silent and calm. There was a cold breeze sweeping through the house, which gave me the impression that it was going to rain. Ricky was fidgeting his way out of sleep, slowly becoming fully awake and alert. Silently and shamefully, I regretted not accepting Ranger's dinner invitation.

What to do about dinner, I could make a peanut butter and banana sandwich, I thought. Maybe not, Ricky needs real food. Maybe Sofia cooked dinner. I placed Ricky on the sofa and wandered into the kitchen. There was no food. I opted for pizza and turned on the television. The pizza arrived half an hour later, so did Ranger.

"Babe," he said watching the delivery boy pull away.

"Change of plans," I said defensively. "Sofia and Lester had another date."

"Of course," he said walking into the hallway. He dropped a duffel bag next to the door. I stared at it questionably waiting for an explanation. My ESP must have been off; instead of answering, Ranger made his way into the living room. I was left no other option but to follow him. Ricky was fully awake by then.

"Pizza!" he exclaimed as the smell of Pino's goodness drifted into the room. Ricky jumped off from the couch looking towards the entry way. I knew the moment his eyes landed on Ranger, "Daddy!"

I'm not sure which one he was most excited about, the food or his daddy. Probably, it was too close of a race to tell who the winner was.

"Ella sent you empanadas," he told Ricky, putting a bag of food on coffee table. Ricky wrapped his arms around him, holding him tightly. Ranger must have informed Ella that Ricky liked empanadas, unless he expected us to stay for dinner.

"What's with the duffel bag?" I asked curiously, placing the pizza box on the table.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight," he answered, repeating the words he said to me when my car exploded.

"You're sleeping here?" I asked alarmed.

"That's the plan," he said taking a slice of pizza. I stood dumbfounded for a moment, staring at the slice of heart attack in his hand before remembering that Ranger's body was only a temple four days a week. And today was obviously not one of those days. I wish I had the same will power and dedication.

"Ranger!"

"Stephanie," he enunciated.

"Daddy, you're sleeping here with me and mommy," Ricky asked excitedly, trapping Ranger's face between his hands. Ranger nodded and Ricky did a happy dance that had both of us laughing.

"Doctor Rex, Daddy's sleeping here," he informed an old and tired looking Rex.

"I don't understand," I admitted. "I can take care of Ricky and myself. I have always taken care of us."

"We said that we'd do this together," he commented darkly.

"And we will," I replied indignantly. "I'm not taking him away from you."

"Babe."

"Ranger."

"Can you stop calling me Ranger, Stephanie?" he inquired with sudden restrained emotion. He was angry. What is going on?

I had a few guesses. He wanted to keep us safe, but the Merry Men were not cooperating. Also, he wanted us close to him, but… Did he think I would run away when I had a chance? Was he afraid of losing Ricky? What's going on at RangeMan?

"Daddy, don't yell at mommy," Ricky reprimanded his father, his eyes narrowing in the process. "Don't yell at mommy or you go," he said with his soft voice, and pointing at the door.

"Sorry, kid," Ranger said.

Ranger doesn't apologize to anybody, but he apologized to Ricky. He drew him into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"Do you want empanadas?" He asked him. Ricky nodded silently. "Let's have some food."

We gathered around to watch the television while we had pizza. It was a nice moment until Leticia's face came on television, followed by pictures of the other missing girls including Sara Federico. The news anchor explained how Leticia disappeared. They briefly mentioned RangeMan as a highly known and trusted security and private investigation agency, now studying the case.

"Mommy, she looks like Leti," Ricky noted concernedly. He looked up at me with worried eyes, tears forming around the edges. I hadn't wanted him to know that his backup babysitter was missing.

"We'll find her honey," I whispered, rubbing his back. I stared at the television like it was my enemy. "Let's watch the movie."

Ricky is afraid of ghosts; it's his only known fear to date. I couldn't watch Ghostbusters with my son anymore. We finished dinner together and watched _The Princess Bride_. The movie was funny and lightened the mood. Even Ranger seemed more relaxed by the time the movie ended. The lines around his eyes always betrayed him. Ricky liked the fighting.

It was a cute and funny movie, but it didn't live up to my _Ghostbusters_ standards. It claimed that true love endures and survives anything and everything. How I wished it were true.

After the movie, I got Ricky in the bathtub while Ranger cleared the dishes out of the living room. Then, I prepared Ricky's bedroom for Ranger, hoping to make him as comfortable as possible, seeing how he would have to make do with a twin sized bed. My son would be sleeping with me.

Ranger didn't protest. He gave Ricky a goodnight kiss, grabbed his duffel, and walked into the bedroom without hesitation.

The wind whistled through the window as a laid in bed. I couldn't sleep. My mind was still running wild. Ranger was sleeping under my roof, just a door away. I wanted to comfort him instead of feeling upset about his angry outburst.

I wanted to tell him that I love him.

My decision made, I scrambled out of bed and closed the window. I gathered a few things that I wanted to show him and made my way to Ranger's room. I knocked lightly.

"Carlos?" I whispered

"Babe," he rasped. I opened the door slightly. Ranger was sitting against Ricky's headboard. He looked tired, but relaxed.

"I want to show you something," I said. He motioned me to come in, so I padded into the room, silently closing the door behind me. Ranger's eyes followed my every move.

I sat next to him on the bed, and gave him Matta's Pleasure Treasure bill. I opened up Sofia's computer so I could show him the latest we had came up with.

"Handcuffs, dildos, bondage toys, and special orders by the dozen," Ranger read, running a through his hair. "Is he opening his own shop?"

"Why would he buy from the competition?" Ranger glanced my way, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly. Ranger humor, great! I wasn't used to him being sarcastic.

"Sofia managed to get the credit card history of the card he used to buy all of these," I informed him.

Ranger studied the history on the Sofia's computer screen. I handed it to him and readjusted myself on the bed.

"Mario Alonde," he read. "He has used this credit card all over Stark Street. All of these companies are on that street; restate, car rental, and grocery. And who's Mario Alonde?"

"Sofia was in the process of…" I yawned, "of hacking into his personal computer."

"We can do that," Ranger approved, opening tabs on the computer.

"You know how to do that?" I asked sleepily, laying my head on the pillow. "Of course, is there anything you can't do?"

"I'll have Silvio do it from Florida in the morning," he answered, "but for now, there are a few things I can try."

I stayed with Ranger using the excuse that I wanted to learn the tricks of the trade. In reality, it was his smell; the scent of Bulgari was like a drug to me. Sofia's computer was equipped with a Casper program.

"Casper," Ranger explained, "is used by large companies to push updates to their users. We use Casper to remotely backup a suspect's hard drive. It allows us to see his surfing history and the files that he accesses most frequently."

I stared at Ranger amazed at the info he openly shared and the familiarity he had with the program. I glanced over at the nightstand checking the time on the galaxy themed clock. It was way past midnight and way past time my bedtime. "How's RangeMan?" I asked nonchalantly.

Ranger turned his head towards me, searching for my eyes. I rubbed them and yawned unconsciously.

"You should get some sleep," he said.

"I'm fine," I mumbled, staring blankly at the screen. I was asleep in minutes.

-rs-

The next morning, I woke up twice. The first time, I woke up to Ranger detangling himself from me. Apparently, I managed to entwine our bodies somehow during the night. Once again, I blamed it on Bulgari.

"Sleep, Babe," he whispered, leaving me along on Ricky's tiny bed. The blanket of warmth hosting me abandoned me when he left.

The second time, I woke up to the sound of sweet guitar music and my son's laughter. I blinked a few times, hoping the light would go away, but it didn't. The house felt alive, somehow. I lay there, contemplating my life, listening to the music until it ended. It was then that I accepted that I wanted Ranger back in my life, but I wanted him permanently. However, I couldn't just come out and tell him just yet.

-rs-

I forced myself out of bed with a sigh, and silently walked down the stairs.

"Stephanie, honey," my mother greeted me with her mouth full. She was sitting next to Ricky. "About time you woke up, dear."

"Hey, mom," I greeted confused. Ranger stood behind the stove, cooking? Ranger was cooking… Well, at least he looked like he was cooking, and he couldn't look hotter.

Ladies, Batman cooks!

I think ruined my panties as I stared stupidly at him. He was wearing one of those breezy sport's shirts, exposing his muscles. If this was Ranger's house, he'd probably go around wearing shorts for modesty, only if Ella was around. Otherwise, he wouldn't care. I licked my lips, thinking of Ranger walking around the house naked. I shook my head shamefully. It has been a long time.

"Ranger offered us breakfast," my mother continued. "Omelette à la française, I couldn't refuse."

My mother glanced at Ranger with smile when she said, "Omelette à la française." She had that look on her face. It was new.

"Mother!"

"Please, call me Carlos, Mrs. Plum," Ranger said giving my mom a glass of water.

"Thank you Carlos."

I groaned.

"Would you like an egg white omelet, Steph?" Ranger asked me.

"Uhmm? Sure," I said walking towards Ricky. Sofia and grandma came into the kitchen carrying bags and suitcases.

"Stephanie, my beautiful granddaughter," grandma said giving me a hug. "Thanks so much for letting me stay here with you. I promise I won't be in your way."

"What's going on?" I asked my mother. She took a sip of water and said something inaudible. "Mom, we have to talk in the backyard."

Mom followed me into the patio and I closed the door behind us.

"Why is grandma staying here?" I asked again.

"Your father found her..."

"What?"

"Sex toys," she mouthed in disbelief. "I don't know how and where she got it, but I can't have her in the house. I don't like the idea of my mother doing…well, you know what I mean. Your father and mother had an argument. He left the house and won't come back until she's out. He just needs time to get it out of his system."

"Mom," I breathed. "I can't have grandma in the house. What if she does the same here?"

I glanced briefly through the kitchen window. Ranger was trying to get Ricky to eat some fruit. What about Ricky? What about Ranger?

"I told her she has to be more discrete," mom continued. "This is only until your father calms down. You owe me."

I sighed and hung my head, "fine!"

"I didn't know he was staying with you," my mother said suspiciously. "Are you two living together?"

"No," I said slightly annoyed. "It's only a temporary arrangement. This is why grandma shouldn't stay here."

"Oh honey, you'll figure something out," she responded patting my cheek. "You always do."

My mother walked back into the house, and I followed her to kitchen.

"Thank you for the wonderful breakfast, Carlos," she said enthusiastically. "Stephanie, I'll keep your grandmother occupy during the day. You won't even know she's here."

"I could give her my room," Sofia offered. She smiled and grabbed her guitar. "What do you think?"

"No, I can't do that to you," I explained. "You like your privacy and your room. I can't keep taking advantage of you. Grandma can take Ricky's room."

"Let's go put your stuff upstairs," Sofia instructed to grandma.

Mom got grandma out of the house, and promised she would have her back by ten. I gave her a copy of the house key just in case.

Ranger put a white egg omelet in front of me, half a cup of strawberries and blueberries on the side.

"Thank you," I said swung by emotions. This is exactly what I needed. Why is it always him taking care of me? Could I do the same for him? Could I take care of him? He arched a curious brow, watching me eat. The ESP was sending him signals.

"Omelette à la française," I muffled, "you would make an excellent housewife."

"I prefer the word chef," he replied.

"Men are chefs and women are cooks," I said, "it's not fair."

"It makes us feel manly."

"Of course, because you need reassurance." Ranger didn't need reassurance.

"You're playing with fire."

_What's wrong with you Stephanie? _I questioned myself.

"Did you find anything on Matta's computer?"

"I did," he responded, "and it isn't pretty. He has definitely moved to the top of the list."

"What kind of things?" I questioned.

"Children," he said looking at our son, "innocent kids."

We silently watched Ricky eat, taking him in. Our son was definitely a miracle to me, and he's ours. Ricky is so young and innocent, unaware of the dangers and unfairness of the world. I ran my fingers through his hair, envying him for it.

"Videos?"

"Yes," he said, "and more."

"Did he make them?" I asked sadly.

"I don't know," Ranger replied. We finished our food quietly, and updated Sofia once Ricky was out of hear-shot. Apparently, Ranger didn't sleep all night, browsing through Matta's, or Alonde's computer. It was under the name of Mario Alonde, so we didn't know for certain that it was Matta's computer. Nonetheless, all analysis indicated that Matta could be the link.

"I think we should look at his business," I suggested. "Sofia, want to join me?

"Are you kidding me?" She exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "I'd love to go with you."

"Babe," Ranger said, like he was about to protest.

"What?" She asked flatly, looking at Ranger.

"No offense, Sofia," Ranger started, "but I'd feel better if someone else went with Stephanie. The two of you together is double the trouble. It's dangerous."

"I feel offended," she said darkly.

"Same here," I added.

"Stephanie and I will go inspect Matta's house," Ranger stated. "I'll have someone go with you to interview Matta at the club. I'm sure Lester will volunteer."

"Ranger, if you're worried about my safety," I said, "then you should know Sofia is one of the best for that task."

"She's also another target for trouble," he responded businesslike, "with very unique enemies."

"Okay, fine," She snapped, and ran up the stairs. "I'll get my weapons."

"You have big enemies too, Ranger," I reminded him reproachingly.

"What do I have to do for you to stop calling me Ranger?" he questioned, crossing his arms, and looking into my eyes.

"Can I call you Ranger when we're in business mode?" I asked innocently. "It still feels weird saying it in front of people."

"That doesn't make sense," he reasoned.

I bit my lip, "it feels..." I paused searching for the word I wanted, "intimate."

"Babe."

"Carlitos," I said referencing his mother. Ranger's eye softened in realization.

"Smart ass," He looked like he was thinking about smiling, the corners of his mouth curled up faintly. I stared at his lips, and licked mine. I wanted to kiss him.

-rs-

Ricky: *sighing* Mommy, I think I'm in love.

Steph: *shocked and scared* *then nervously* Really, baby?

Ricky: Mommy, I'm not a baby. I'm a big boy.

Ranger: Babe

Steph: Ricky, are you sure?

*Ricky nods*

Steph: Ranger, he's… he's in love.

Ranger: He's talking about Pino's pizza, babe.

Ricky: *chewing* It's good.

Steph: Oh! *Blush* Good... I knew that.

Ranger: Babes, I'd love a review, comment, or suggestion... Let me know what you guys think.


	16. Ranger's Woman

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Stephanie Plum series.**

Hello everyone, I hope everyone is doing well. This is a well delayed update, but it's here now. I hope you will enjoy this chapter. Thanks to JessicaRenae for making it so much better.

**Chap 16. Ranger's Woman**

_My mother eyes pierced into mine as she stood there, strong, not willing to be defeated. She was pouting, one hand on her hip, her head tilted ever so slightly to the side._

_"What's it going to be Carlos?" she asked me with concern._

_"He can't stay with me," I insisted, though I knew it was in vain. "Dad gets bored easily, and when he does he drives my employees crazy. He thinks he's in the army again."_

_He's driving me crazy._

_My mother sighed, her gaze moving downwards as if trying to process her next argument._

_"M'hijo, you know I respect you," she said solemnly. "Is this woman worth it?"_

_"You have not idea," I breathed. My parents underestimated their power over me. They could always see right through me, read all of my emotions, no matter how hard I tried to conceal them._

_"It's been a year," she argued. "Carlos, you're hurting. I feel powerless to help you. I'm calling your grandma."_

_Why couldn't Ella keep quiet? How did she manage to get in touch with my mother anyway?_

_"Son, I'm thrilled that you finally fell in love," my mother's voice waggled a little when she the word 'love.' "It gives me hope that someday you'll find someone who can make you happy. There is more to life than just work, you know."_

_"Mom, I…"_

_"Listen to me," she demanded. "You've work hard to get where you are; you deserve to be happy. I think it's time for you to move on. This woman, Stephanie, is not coming back. You have to let her go."_

_"No," I said firmly, "I'm sorry, I can't do that, I won't do that. Ever."_

_"Why?" She asked me, frustration swimming in her voice. "What is it that keeps you going? I don't understand. If she loved you then she would be here now."_

_"She loves me mamá, I have no doubt."_

_"Carlos, I want that to be true," she said placing a hand on my arm. "Are you positive? Is this suffering you're going through worth it?"_

_"Moma, I've been so stupid," I looked into her eyes to make my point stronger. "She loves me, and I love her. I don't care what people think. You can say whatever you want, but I won't give up. I need Stephanie."_

_I was surprised at my own words. I could see the same shock on my mother's face. That was the moment I realized that I was lost without her. That I had gave in and let my emotions rule._

_"What happens when you find her, uhm?" she asked curtly. "What if she doesn't love you? What if she doesn't want to come back?"_

_"She loves me."_

_"How do you know?"_

_"She told me," I snapped without realizing it. I tried to calm before proceeding, running my hand through my hair, taking a deep breath. "She came to my apartment the night before she left, and she said she loves me. Stephanie never lies to me. She wouldn't ever lie to me. I would know if she did. I was being an ass, pushed her away from me, again. Once I'd told her that I didn't want anything serious and that she should marry someone else. She left before I could fix things, before I could tell her that I love her unconditionally."_

_She was crying this time. This wasn't like when I was a kid. Back then, she could at least send me to my grandmother's house and away from my problems._

_"Are you listening to your son?" she asked the person behind me, my father. I looked over my shoulder to see him leaning against the door frame._

_"The kid's in love, mujer," he uttered slightly amused. "I thought I'd never see him like this, but I guess I was wrong."_

_My mother turned around and disappeared into her bedroom. I didn't try to stop her. I was about to leave when she came back outside and placed something shiny on the palm of my hand._

_"I know you could buy a hundred just like this," she said, "but it wouldn't have the history of this one. Your grandfather gave this ring to your grandmother when they arrived to this country. He worked double the hours in a full year to pay for this ring. Then, it was given to me. It's the only thing I have of my father. If you find Stephanie, if she truly loves you, then I want you to give it to her. Carlos, can you promise me that?"_

_I simply nodded, enveloping the ring with my hand. I asked for their blessing like is the norm, and went back to find the sun of my world._

-rs-

I rubbed the scar on my neck out of habit. It was a faint line now, barely visible, but sometimes it burned. As if the scar itself was reminding me of its birthday. The day I almost lost the two best things in my life. Thankfully, they both have a wonder woman complex, and survived the ordeal. I didn't fare as well, but it could have been worst. Julie saved my life.

Today, the scar reminded me of that moment. It wasn't helping my undying desire to reach across the consul and kiss the woman next to me.

Stephanie doesn't know how much I've missed her in my life; it hasn't been the same without her. There were no cars burning and waiting to be replaced, no spark of life, only work. I hated the monotony. My life consisted of only work and people, people that questioned, spoke and laughed at me behind my back. "The Bombshell Bounty Hunter broke Ranger Manoso."

I blamed my mother for forcing me into making that stupid promise, a promise that kept me searching for four and a half years for Stephanie. A promise I fought to remind a secret, even today. I could feel the ring in my pocket.

It felt like we were playing a game, waiting for one of us to cave, and give in to the other's feelings. When I saw her again, I thought kissing her would appease some of the yearning that ignited my soul. The undying desire to make everything right between us again, to make it clear that I love her more than anything else in my life. I was wrong. It made me want to kiss her more, touch her, break the tension between us, hold her against my skin, feel her…all of her.

_Control soldier, control._

I love Stephanie with an incredible passion, a passion that is all consuming. However, there's a part of me that hates myself for loving her this much, for letting her have control over me in such an intimate way.

"How is she?" She asked; bring me out of my reverie.

I arched my eyebrow in response knowing she would figure out the unasked question.

"Julie," she said. "You've been rubbing the scar on your neck. It reminds me of her."

"Growing up too fast," I answered, disappointingly. Hopefully, my feelings didn't reach my voice. Steph chuckled lightly.

"I know what you mean," she said, her voice fading at the end of her sentence. "One minute, you're potty training them and then they are suddenly asking you to "give them privacy.""

I smiled and simply nodded. How was I supposed to respond to that? She sighed and went back to watching the men work in the distance.

I turned on the radio. Classical music always seems to help me relax. It was a something I copied from my father, a piano player himself, who loved to play what time I poured myself over my studies.

We watched the men move boxes out of Matta's house waiting for the right moment to go in and investigate, hopefully learning something new.

"Is she dating?"

"She's fourteen."

"And?"

I turned to stare at her, wanting to know what was going through her head. Julie was much too young to date and she knew how I felt about it. Steph smiled as she attempted to suppress a giggle at my reaction. She quickly reached into her bag pulling out binoculars.

"Have you told her about, Ricky?"

"No," I answered honestly.

She stilled, her eyes fixated on the device in her hand as mixed emotions ran across her face. I found myself compelled to explain trying to ease her discomfort.

"I don't know how to tell her," I said, "not sure if I should at this point. Maybe I'll ask Rachel to explain for me."

"It wouldn't make it any easier on her, on your yes, but not her," Steph commented warningly. "She loves you, and she'll understand.

I contemplated the idea of calling her, but what would I say? How do I start?

"If there's anyone who should be blamed, it's me." She whispered to herself. I barely caught it. She looked into my eyes and continued on before I had a chance to reply.

"The day she saved your life, she wasn't happy about leaving your side, you know. You should've seen her holding on to that stretcher."

My eyes softened and the scar burned hotter.

"It was like her life depended on it," Steph continued admiringly. "She's so much like you. Resilient. Protective. Possessive."

The comparison brought a wide smile to my face. Steph was too concentrated in the conversation to notice.

"This is my father. I'm going with him," she quoted, smiling ruefully. "Julie got that from you. She fought off an FBI agent and called out a paramedic for trying to separate her from you."

"I didn't know," I found myself responding softly. _I'm an idiot _I inwardly groaned_._

"Just because she doesn't see you often doesn't mean that she doesn't love you, Ranger… You're an important figure in her life. You are her father whether it says it on paper or not."

We stayed silent after that for a while, watching the scene unfolding before us. A tall, elegant looking woman eased of a Mercedes and started barking orders to the movers.

The song on the radio ended, complete silence fell upon the car. I watched as Stephanie leaned her head on her hand, her arm supported by the window. She looked in control, confident, and determined.

I took a Women and Gender studies class at Rutgers, one of those mindless school requirements; there I learned that the image of Wonder Woman was used to represent America's feminist movement. Those years when the husbands came back home from the war, and women were sent back into their "proper place." Some wanted to put even Wonder Woman back in "her place," too, but the women' movement saved her from such an ill fate.

Stephanie was the Wonder Woman of the Burg. The young Burg generation wanted to be Stephanie while the old struggled to understand why she couldn't conform to her upbringing.

_I'm proud of you, Babe. I love you._

How I would love to hear those words again. _I fucking love you, Carlos. _Hmm… Maybe without the F word this time… Unless we're in my bed…Stephanie in my bed…naked.

_Concentrate!_

This is what I meant about one of us caving. And I'm afraid that my control and will power will not outlast her own this time.

It took fifteen more minutes for the woman to stop ordering the men around. I stared at Stephanie in surprise when she started snapping pictures of the woman with her camera.

It amazed me at what she could fit in her bag; binoculars, Nikon D90, extra lens for distance shots. She could package an entire military arsenal in her handbag if need be.

Finally, the woman got in her car and drove away after the men.

"All tricks of the trade," she said smugly, answering my unasked question. We accounted for four security cameras in the house. There were two in the front, but those were just for show, too opened, and too visible to be anything else.

We managed to get through the fence and make our way in the house without much difficulty. Once inside, we systematically searched through the house, front to back, without much success. The furniture seem all in order, the house seem in order, normal. It was all too disappointing.

-rs-

**Steph's POV**

I convinced Ranger to let me go run a few errands by myself. He insisted on not letting me go alone. This was a concern to me. I felt invaded and something told me that it was on purpose. I needed to get grandma and Ranger out of the house. Finally, after Ricky asked for McDonalds, Ranger relented.

"Take my car," he told me.

"Why? You can't tell me that my car isn't traced like any other RangeMan vehicle. What's the difference?"

"Mine's Bombshell proof." Ranger said while flashing me his full on smile while pulling Ricky into his arms. He kissed his forehead and placed him into the Cayenne.

"Don't go crazy, Babe," he said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I could tell that he was genuinely concerned, even if his voice didn't give it away. Ranger's hand lingered on my hair for a few seconds longer than necessary. He was observing me, probably debating if he really should let me go on my own or not.

I stood there, tapping my foot and waiting for keys. If I complained about driving his car, he would worry all day. Finally I ran out of patients and reached for the keys which were clasped to his belt. I struggled a little to unhook them from the front of his pants. Ranger placed a hand over mine stilling my efforts. I looked up at him, slightly irritated until I noticed his gaze had darkened. I immediately felt guilty for man-handling him. I didn't want to make things more difficult for us. There was a small exchange of electricity as he removed my hand, placing the keys in my palm.

"Thanks," I said, trying to control the urge to kiss him and got in the car.

-rs-

We drove to McDonalds for lunch. I tried to calm myself as Ricky chattered on about his afternoon. The place was alive, people yelling, talking, kids crying, and a long line stood before me. I got in line behind a woman in a yellow shirt searching before me to find the reason for the commotion.

"What's going on?" I asked. "I've never seen this place so pack before."

"There's only one cashier," she glancing over her shoulder before turning to face my completely, eyes wide.

"Stephanie?"

"Mary Lou?"

"Stephanie."

"Mary Lou," I choked. She took me into her arms, tears rolling down her face.

"I thought you were dead." Mary Lou placed her hands on her hips and tapped her foot, going into mom mode. "What was I supposed to think after all these years? Four letters in four years is not nearly enough! You didn't even tell me that you had a baby. I had to hear it from the Burg. And here I thought I was your best friend."

Mary Lou crossed her arms. She was staring at me with disapproval, her eyes examining me, and finally landing Ricky.

"Ohmigod," she gasped. "This has to be Ranger's son!"

Silence fell on the restaurant and a few people turned to look at us. Talk about not drawing too much attention.

"The line is moving." The man with a wailing baby complained. We hurried over to the register and bought our food before settling into a booth in the corner. Even though Mary Lou was buying food for her family, she sat with me while she drank her shake.

She gripped the cup in her hands and taking measured sips. She kept looking at my son with curiosity. Ricky smiled her way and waited for his food with excitement.

"This is my friend, Mary Lou," I explained.

"Hi," he said supporting himself on his knees, fidgeting with impatience. I finally put his food on the table in front of him and focused on the woman before me.

"I'm sorry, Mary Lou," I said, "truly, truly sorry."

"Were you scared?" She asked smoothly. I nodded and she gulped.

"All these years, I thought you were just being selfish."

I felt a knot in my throat, which quickly traveled up and converted into tears. I wiped them quickly before they had a chance of come out in front of my son.

"It's interesting that you say that. Not everybody sees it that way." I thought about Ranger and how he called me selfish at his apartment when I brought Ricky for the first time. I agreed with his statement, but I also weighed out my actions. I had the right to protect my son and I did what I felt was necessary at the time.

"I'm a mother, Steph. If it was me carrying _his_ child, with _his_ reputation, lack of history, and the things he said to you about children and relationships…." She shook her head, trying to find the right words to explain how she felt. "I'm a Burg woman," she finally said. "I would have been terrified, and I know you're not the _typical_ Burg woman. I always look up to you because of that. But this…. this is different."

"Mommy?" My son patted my shoulder gently. He was looking between us, tilting his head to examine my face carefully. "It's okay mommy."

He kissed my cheek and I chuckled in response. I kissed him and tapped his legs to remind him to sit properly on the chair. I glanced at Lou and shook my head.

Lou and I looked at each other knowingly. We understood each other perfectly and started laughing. The outsiders might think we're crazy, but we laughed at the irony of the situation, at the cuteness of my son's protectiveness, the setting, the way we met, and the sudden smell of garbage brought by the wind when the door was opened.

I glanced towards the door and couldn't believe my eyes. A girl who wore a baseball cap, tank and shorts made her way into the restaurant. She looked around examining the line with frustration drawn on her face. She looked familiar.

"Would you mind staying with Ricky for a few minutes, I'll be right back." I kissed Ricky's head and casually approached the girl.

"Hey," I greeted. "It's Sarah, right? Sarah Federico?

She looked at me with bewildered eyes and took off running out the door. I reacted quickly, chasing after her, afraid I wouldn't be able to catch her.

"Hey, wait!" I called, "I don't want to harm you!"

I followed her into the parking, dashing away from the oncoming traffic. This girl had some legs. The massive number of cars created a maze and I worked hard trying to keep her in sight among the cars. I found her getting into a blue sedan. She slammed the door shut as I approached.

"Please, don't follow me," she begged trying to start the car. "I don't want them to get hurt."

"I just want to help you!" I reached the car just as the engine turned on.

"Who's getting hurt, Sarah?" I asked her through the window, holding on to the door's frame. "Listen, and listen carefully. My name is Stephanie Plum. I'm part of the team looking for Leticia and you. You have to let me help you."

"I can't! I can't!" She cried, her hands shaking on the stirring wheal. "They could be watching. He could hurt them. I have to go. Please just leave me alone." She begged, throwing the car in reverse.

She stomped her foot on the accelerator, causing the car to screech out of the parking lot. I stood there, panting and defeated. Cursing myself because I knew I'd be lucky to remember the drivers' license on the vehicle. It all the rush of excitement, it took me a few seconds to realize the phone in my packet was ringing.

"Where's Ricky?" Ranger questioned. "You took off running out of the restaurant."

"He's with Mary Lou," I panted. "I found Sarah. Well, I found her, but then I lost her. She's said something about not wanting _him_ to hurt _them_. Then she took off in a blue Toyota… Wait a minute…. How you…?"

My eyes traveled to my shoes. I took one off and looked inside. There was a small wire sticking out from inside the sole. It was a tracker. Certainly, Ricky had a similar tracking device in all of his shoes.

I started walking back towards the entrance, explaining the occurrences to Ranger.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. A little winded but otherwise ok."

There was a small silence between us. This was usually the moment Ranger would come up with a clever innuendo to lighten the mood, but I guess this time it wasn't appropriate. The truth is that I miss it. I have him, but I don't have all of him.

_I'll be waiting, Ranger. I'll be here when you're ready for me again. I'll prove it to you, that I love you. I'm never letting you go._

"The results from the photo recognition system came back. The woman at Matta's house is Lorna Alonde. She has been married four times, to men with money, owns various properties. She was arrested a few times as a teen for drunk driving. I remember, Mrs. Mazur mentioned something about her belonging to a book club that Alonde is involved with."

My mind wandered back to that night, "she's the organizer I think."

"Hope you enjoy reading, Babe, cause you're going to have to find a way into this group. I understand that it isn't quite easy to join."

"I'll investigate it. Thanks, Ranger."

"Stephanie."

"Oh c'mon! I'm trying here." _Carlos,_ _Carlos_… It was in my head, in my heart, but I couldn't say it.

"Call me if anything changes, and try not to get separated from Ricky." He hung up.

Ricky was almost done with his food when I got back into McDonalds. I combed his hair with my fingers.

"FTA," Lou laughed and shook her head. "You're always running."

"It never stops," I said with a smile. "Lou, how would you like to join Lorna Alonde's book club?"

"That woman," she rolled her eyes with disapproval. "She thinks everyone should kiss the ground she walks on. I don't think I'm good enough for her little book club. She created the club so she could surround herself with the who's who of Trenton. You know women with connections or big accomplishments. If she chooses you to join her club, then you're hot stuff around the Burg. The only person I know that has received an invite is Amy Morelli, seeing how she's an exclusive reporter an all."

-rs-

The house looked different from the outside. The grass was mowed. There were even a few lilies growing in the garden. It looked habited. I looked at myself in the mirror and braced myself.

The door opened on the first knock, and Grandma Bella appeared at the door, her nose just an inch from mine.

"You!" She growled, "you left my grandson at the altar. How dare you come here… You… You… Jezebel?"

"Hello, Grandma Bella," I greeted politely, hoping to make peace. Amy Morelli came to the door, belly first.

"Stephanie, it's so good to see you!" she exclaimed and attempted to hug me to her. She seemed genuinely excited about my presence. It took me by surprise.

"Don't go anywhere," she yelled, rushing back inside.

"Angela," Bella called out, "come see who has grace us with her presence. You! Stephanie Plum, I'm going to put the eye on you!"

"Don't talk to my mommy that way," Ricky defended me.

"You brought _that_ child!" She exclaimed, "that child…"

"That child is my son," I snapped, having listened to her rant long enough. "And I didn't come here to create problems, so quit threatening me and take a pill."

"Are you threatening me? I'll have my Joseph arrest you."

"Just try."

"Insolent woman, so disrespectful towards your elders. A woman my age, you should be ashamed."

_Seriously?_

"I'm ready," Amy sang coming to the door, Mrs. Morelli on her heels.

"Let's go Stephanie." Amy rushed out of the house towards my car. It took me a few seconds to understand what was going on.

"You come back here, Mrs. Joseph Morelli," grandma Bella sneered. The way she talked to Amy made my eye twitch.

Joe's mother rolled her eyes, "Be careful Amy."

I got in front of the wheel and glanced briefly towards her.

She smiled brightly, buckling her seat belt. "The park?" She asked tilting her head to the side. I stomped my foot on the pedal before Grandma Bella could put the "eye" on us.

"What's going on?" I asked in disbelief, laughing at what just happened.

"She has me on house arrest," Amy explained. "I've been trapped in that house for a week, always making excuses for me not to leave. Last night she said she was having a heart attack and that only I could take care of her, something about a bad vision if I refused. I'm a reporter, always in the field, out and about." She shook her head.

I chuckled. Leave it to Morelli to marry a woman whose job requires looking for trouble.

-rs-

"Do you have a baby in your stomach?" Ricky asked Amy.

"Yep, and if you touch it and stay real still you might feel the baby move."

She took Ricky's tiny hands and placed him on her belly. Then, she nudged it a little causing Ricky to jump in amazement. It made me chuckled.

"Mommy, the baby moved," he gasped, eyes wide. "I can feel it. Does it hurt, Mrs. Morelli?"

"No, not really."

I smiled warmly, "Joe said you had a few questions for me."

"Sort of," she laughed. "The truth is, I don't really have any questions. I told him that I needed help so he wouldn't worry. He has been reading _What to Expect When Expecting_ and reciting it back to me whenever he sees fit. At this point, I'm sure he as learned enough to deliver the baby himself."

I laughed at the image inserted in my head. "I'm sure he'd still look hot doing it, too."

"No doubt it, but it's driving me crazy," she said watching Ricky run off to play on a very dangerous jungle gym for his age. "I'm so glad you showed up. I'm not sure how much more I could take."

"Glad to help. I can't believe Bella has you on house arrest. I'm sure she means well, but she could be a little… overwhelming. How do you usually spend your time?"

"I work from home now at days. Although, I still get to go on important trips. I made a trip to the white house last week and interviewed the president. Out of work, I spend my time reading."

"I love to read," I said, taking the opportunity. "Read anything interesting lately?"

"I read a little bit of everything however, I've been reading some of the classics here lately. What sort of things do you like?"

"It depends on my mood… Grandma suggested I join a book club. Seems to think it will get me interested in a wider variety of literature."

"I belong to a club. I was at the salon the other day and Lorna, our club hostess, asked about you," she said excitedly. "Would you like to come with me? Lorna would love to have you."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!"

"Okay then, I'll give it a try."

"I hear you're working on the Leticia case, how's it going? It has been all over the news."

I nodded in reply. "We're working with the FBI and the local police, trying to trace the link."

"You've worked on similar cases before, haven't you?" She asked casually. I glanced her way a little taken back.

"I'm a journalist," she explained. "I keep myself updated about these things."

"I've done similar cases. I can't turn away a case regarding a missing child. It hits too close to home. I can't imagine what I would do if something happened to mine? I try to put myself in the shoes of other people."

She nodded, "I understand that Ranger has an interest for this particular case too."

"Ranger's daughter was kidnapped once," I said, but Amy knew all about it after all she is a journalist.

"It's horrible," she lamented. "An estimate of 1.8 million children are currently victims of human trafficking, either in sex slavery or forced labor. Most of them are never recovered."

"We want to find Leticia before she suffers that fate."

"I hope you do." She sat quietly for a moment. I could see the gears in her head turning as she contemplated asking what she was thinking. "I hope you don't mind my asking," she started, "but how are things between you and Ranger?"

"Good, I think," I said, "we're getting used to this new shared parenthood thing."

"You know he has been looking for you for years, Stephanie. Why didn't you come back sooner?"

We stopped walking and I faced the woman in front of me. Amy asked questions like a true journalist, calculated and straight to the heart of things. Seems that has been the question on everybody's mind lately, they were just too afraid to ask it.

"It's complicated," I sighed. I went about to tell her about my relationship with Morelli. She seemed informed about it anyways. "I couldn't leave without seeing Ranger. Ricky was conceived that night, but it came as a surprise to me two months later. Fear is a paralyzing emotion."

"And you loved him," she added to my sentence. The look on my face must have said it all.

"How do you feel about being referred to as "Ranger's woman"?

"Excuse me?"

"It's how most people refer to you at the Trenton Times," she confessed. "Ranger Manoso's woman. It's the word on the streets. I just wanted to know what a woman as independent and driven as you felt about it."

I sighed. Why wasn't I surprised? It's happened before. I remember Joe making a comment about it when we were dating, something about competing with Ranger.

"I've been called a lot of things by the Times," I said. "Personally, I like Bombshell Bounty Hunter the best."

"Mommy, look!" Ricky yelled to me.

I looked up at him. He was diving into the water fountain with the other kids; his clothes were drenched, including his new shoes.

-rs-

Ricky: Daddy...daddy!

Ranger: uhmm? *whispers* Son, mommy is sleeping.

Ricky: *tears rolling down his face* Daddy, there's a ghost in my closet.

Ranger: *getting out of bed* Son, there's no such thing as ghosts.

Ricky: But there's one in my closet. *grabs the phone*

Ranger: Who are you going to call?

Ricky: *desperately and shaking his head* Ghostbusters!...

-rs-

Ranger: Babes, my son gets his imagination from his mother. I love it though, and I would also love a review... Please... Thanks.


	17. Where's Happiness?

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own any of the character in the Stephanie Plum series. If I did, I probably wouldn't be writing fanfiction and I would be rich (probably). All characters belong to Janet Evanovich. I only own Ricky. **

**Note:** Hello everyone! Yes, I'm not dead. There are a lot of things going on in my life at the moment. It's quite overwhelming. However, you guys asked for more, so here's an update. I hope this chapter is enjoyable. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Thanks to JessicaRenae for making it so much better.

**Where's Happiness?**

**Leticia POV.**

The truth is complicated. I held on to my legs as tightly as possible, imagining myself in the safety of my own home. Tears rolled down my face remembering the way my father had looked at me the last time I saw him. He was upset, angry because I refused to follow his instructions. How could I do it? He didn't understand that I'd tried.

Now, I'm here, chasing the monsters that haunt not only my dreams, but my every move. Unfortunately, these monsters are also chasing me.

"The Plum woman is at it again. She met one of the girls at McDonalds."

"Who?"

"Sarah, Sir."

"Did the girl say anything?"

"No, Sir. I prepared her well."

"I've told you; only let the illegal or the addicts out for food. They always come back. They understand exactly what it is they'll lose."

"I'm sorry, Sir. It won't happen again."

"The Plum woman, is she a concern?"

"No, she just likes to find trouble. I heard she's a bounty hunter, nothing exceptional, but she might make things difficult. She has a nag for sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. And Sir, she's Ranger's woman."

A chair creaked in the room below as I assumed either Matta or his boss adjusted his position. The silence was deafening, and I waited impatiently for a response. Just when I thought I would gain no more information, he spoke again.

"Watch her. If she causes problems, we'll have to eliminate her. For now, send her a message. Now, where did you send the cutie pie? I should visit her and give her a reward for her silence."

Matta's boss let out a sickening laughed. It made my insides turn. I wish he would choke on his own saliva.

_I'll fucking kill you for what you've done. You've destroyed me and my family. _

I jerked and hit the metal of the heater with a reflex reaction.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what, sir?"

I stayed still and waited.

I found this space by chance while snooping for information. It turns out all of those gymnastics classes I took at school are finally paying off. It was enough for me to find my way into the ventilation system and listen to every single word of their conversation. Now, if only I could get Sarah out of this place.

The problem is that they keep moving the girls around. This is something I learned quickly. It's hard to keep up with the changes. They move people about day to day and so many times that I lost count.

Sarah had told me that Alonde became fixated on her. It would only make sense that he would try to keep her close to him. At least, until he gets tired and then moves on.

-rs-

The last month hasn't been an easy. I went from sleeping in my nice warm bed to sleeping in an abandoned construction site in Trenton. If it wasn't for the kindness of my boyfriend and his mother, I would already be dead. It's my fault they are now on the run. I ran with them for two weeks before it became apparent that my presence made them more susceptible to danger. Most importantly, I couldn't make any moves to kill Alonde.

My current residence faced Hamilton Avenue. The sound of horns, cars, and people helped me through the night. I've developed cat ears trying to preserve my life, listening for anyone that might come after me. Quickly, I learned to distinguish drug addicts from sellers, staying away from those who might endanger my life expectancy.

I watched the payphone across the street with some interest, trying to discern my next move.

"_The Plum woman is at it again."_

I couldn't get the words out of my mind as I lay on my customized bed. During the day, I entertain myself by reading newspapers. I've read enough to learn some of the history of this town and of the woman he spoke of, Stephanie Plum.

Unexpectedly, I made a significant discovery in the life of the woman I knew as Michelle Mazur. I glanced down at the paper in my hand again. The woman on the cover had wild curly hair. The man standing next to her resembled Michelle's son in many ways. The title read "Bombshell Bounty Hunter Strikes Again."

It was like discovering Diana Prince's secret identity. Michelle Mazur was in reality Stephanie Plum. I felt little rays of hope surging through me. Stephanie Plum, her name kept running through my head all night.

**Ranger POV**

I watched Steph walk around the room with cautious steps. I couldn't tell if she was nervous or embarrassed. She looked adorable, though. I listened to my voicemails without shifting my eyes away her. She dropped to her knees, trying to find one of Ricky's toy cars under the sofa. Of course, I enjoyed the sight she was providing me with a little bit of regret for doing it.

"Hey there little bro! I swear, when you decide show a sign of humanity, you go all the way. Do you really have a baby boy? Mom says you seem okay with it, is it true? Call me." Celia.

The next message started with pure silence, some breathing, and ended with one word.

"Puppy," and my dad hung up the phone. I ignored the nickname and listened to the rest. The last message was my mother's.

"Mijo, I would like to talk to Stephanie about her plans for Ricky's birthday party. Do you think she would mind if I help her out a little. I would love to be part of it. Give me a call and give your grandmother a call. She's quite upset that she hasn't heard from you."

I disconnected and dialed my grandmother's phone.

"Hello"

*"Hello, grandma. How are you?"

*"Ricardo Carlos Manoso. It's about time."

*"I know," I said. "How are you going grandma? How's your health?"

*"I'm alive, that counts for something right? How are you? What is this I hear about you having a little boy? Is it true? Didn't you learn anything from the first time around?"

*"This time it's different," I said, glancing up at Stephanie. She was chasing after Ricky, in hopes of getting him in the shower. She was trying hard not to laugh, but Ricky's mischievous expression wasn't helping.

*"Different how? Because this is Stephanie's child?"

*"_Our child_, grandma." I corrected. "I assure you Julie isn't any less loved or adored."

*"I know, honey. Rachel and you didn't love each other."

"Catch me, mommy, catch me!" Ricky chanted while running around the sofa before spotting me.

*"Is that your boy I hear?"

*"Yes."

"Daddy, daddy, save me!" Ricky ran to me, sliding between my legs, and settling on my lap. "Daddy, _you_ help me shower?"

I drew him towards me and kissed the top of his head. "Okay."

Steph groaned in defeat, "fine!"

I gave her half a smile and watched her walk up the stairs.

"It's getting late and you should be in bed." I looked down at Ricky, "here, say hello to your great grandma."

*"Carlitos, I'm not a great grandmother. I'm a grandmother."

*"Hello, great grandma…. Okay… Yes… My name is Carlitos too. Yes, I'm going to be four." Ricky made four fingers, showing them to me. "Are you coming to my birthday party? It's like daddy's. Mommy says we were born together… nooooo… You're funny. Daddy is not a baby…Yes! There will be cake and all my friends will come, but not Uncle Cal. Uncle Cal has a mean boss that won't let him eat cake."

Ricky made a face. I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling the pulse point in my neck twitch a little.

"*Okay, bye grandma."

"*He speaks so clearly," she gasped. "I didn't know Stephanie could speak Spanish. The papers said she was Italian or Hungarian, something like that."

"*She doesn't, but she made sure he learned."

She waited a beat "wow."

"*I'm going to have to let you go grandma. Somebody needs a shower."

"*Okay, but before you hang up. Please, call Julie soon. She's been asking for you. She knows something is going on. She's a perceptive young lady."

"*I'll give her a call."

"Give my grandson a big kiss. Good night, Carlitos." Before I could respond she hung up, trying to avoid having me hang up without a good bye. I never do it to her on purpose, mostly out of habit. It drove both, grandma and Stephanie a little crazy.

-rs-

I helped Ricky undress and studied his slim frame with familiarity. Ricky is the spiting image of me at this age, in terms of frame and build. My son's hair was growing at an alarming rate. It was uncontrollable. A few inches more and he would look like a little girl.

It happened to me once and there was no way I would put him through the torment I suffered.

"Ricky, you need a hair cut," I told him lifting him and placing in the bathtub. He touched his hair, looking up at me.

"Okay, daddy."

"Okay, what?" Steph asked, as she brought his pajamas into the bathroom.

"He needs a haircut."

"No, he doesn't." She retorted. I scanned her body as she laid his clothes on the vanity. She had changed into a cute pajama set, a knit top, and baby blue shorts that hugged her assets. She turned to face me, and I noticed she was carrying a heavy looking book in her hand.

"Reading?"

"It's for the book club. Virginia Wolf's Orlando, it's Amy's choice." She stood at the door watching me interact with my son, studying my ability to perform my "daddy duties." The phone rang and I watched her turn to go answer it. I couldn't stop the images of my hands under her knit tank, enjoying her feeling of her soft skin.

_Concentrate! _

I shook my head and looked back a Ricky.

This cohabitation thing was already becoming difficult to handle. How was I supposed to live with the woman of my dreams and not be able to take advantage? God help me. I found my resolve starting to waiver.

"Daddy, look. I'm a fish!"

_Yeah, and I'm starting to think I'm a chicken._

"Silly, daddy. You don't have feathers."

"Did I stay that at loud?"

He giggled and nodded. Again, this is cohabitation at its best.

-rs-

**Steph's POV**

I stared at the house phone for a minute, wondering why I didn't get a phone for caller ID features.

"Is there something wrong?" Ranger asked, walking into the room with Ricky. The phone rang again.

"Hello," I said. "Who's calling? Would you please just talk to me? I don't have time for this… hello?"

Nothing. The person didn't speak. I stabbed the off button in frustration.

"Something's not right," I sighed. The phone rang again.

"I'm going to kill him," the voiced cried. I immediately recognized it. "I _have_ to kill him. I have too."

"Who, honey, who are you talking about?"

"He raped me! Then, he killed my father, and he rapes them too." Leticia said, her voice wobbly and grave. My hand flew to my mouth to conceal a gasp. I felt the tears rushing out of my eyes and down my face.

"Honey, where are you?" I questioned searching for my jeans.

"No, you'll stop me. I have to kill him. The law will do nothing to help. There's nothing you can do. I need to kill him," she half whispered, crying.

"Honey, please. Let me help you."

"Thank you, Stephanie." She hung up. I looked up to find Ranger glancing my way, while trying to keep our son occupied.

_She called me Stephanie._

"Babe?"

I walked out of the room and to the hall. Ranger followed me outside, leaving Ricky to get dressed on his own.

"It was Leticia," I whispered. "She was raped by the man who killed her father. Now she wants to kill him."

The tears kept running down my face. I struggled to rein in my feelings. Ranger pulled me to him.

"We'll find her, Babe. We've got to focus on the goal."

I nodded, unable to reply.

"Did she give you any indication of where she might be?"

"No, but my guess she's calling from a payphone. It took her half a minute to a minute to dial back each time. There was a lot of background noise, people, and traffic."

"I'll have someone run a trace, but for now we have to wait. You should rest."

"I can't go to sleep now. It's impossible."

"I know," Ranger whispered, pulling me onto his chest again. I stood still, enjoying the comfort, drenching his shirt with my tears.

The door to the bathroom opened. Grandma walked out wrapped in a towel. She was humming in a low voice, and smiled once she spotted us. I felt Ranger's arms tightened around me, his body tensing slightly.

"Well, ain't that a pip," Grandma said, water dripping down her hair. The towel barely covered her breasts. "The two of you together like that."

Grandma dried an invisible from her eyes with her hand, "it's so sweet. Can I join the hug?"

Grandma walked towards us with her arms opened. I tensed when I saw her towel starting to slip. Ranger's face became blank. He let go of me and took off down the stairs.

"I have to make a few calls," he said. I figure he needed to erase grandma's image from his head instead of making a phone call in private.

"Next time then," grandma said. "Goodnight sweetheart."

"Good night, grandma."

-rs-

I sat on my bed going over what Leticia told me on the phone. She was raped. He rapes them…as if continuously. I sighed in frustration and laid down pulling Ricky towards into my arms.

"Time to sleep, baby," I whispered showering him with kisses.

"Is daddy sleeping with us, mommy?"

"Yeah… I guess," I answered grimacing a little. Ricky giggled. Leticia's call had erased my worries about Ranger sleeping with us in the same bed, at least for a few minutes.

"Time to sleep."

"Mommy?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you so sad? Daddy makes you sad?"

I looked at my son's face in the dimmed light, his eyes wide, full of concern, and anticipation. He scratched his leg uncertainly, waiting for me to answer. There was so much of Ranger in him, yet so much of me. I contemplated the answer. Ranger didn't make me sad. Quite the opposite, it's the lack of Ranger that made me sad. I shook my head. I miss him. I miss us. I miss what we didn't have, and the things I dreamed we could have become.

"No, my love, daddy doesn't make me sad," I said gently, forcing a smile.

"Do you love daddy?"

"I do," I sighed. "Now, go to sleep."

Ricky settled next to me, his breath warm on my skin.

"Ricky?" I said in the darkness after a few minutes.

"Yes, mommy."

"Don't tell daddy that I love him," I said softly. "It's our little secret, okay?"

"'Kay," he yawned, blinked and laid his head on my chest. I tried to make him as comfortable as possible, moving away pillows. I loved the little person in my arm; his soul and heart too big to fit in his little body. Yet, it worked and I'm the person who brought him to this world.

I can only hope that he lives a happy life, and do my best to help him. The steady rhythm of my son's breathing eased me into sleep.

-rs-

The next morning I woke up with an arm around my waist. I opened my eyes to find that the arm belonged Ranger. Ricky slept between us with a thumb in his mouth.

Ranger always looked younger and relaxed in his sleep. It was as if his troubles washed away when he did. I contemplated the image for a few minutes, Ranger's arm feeling heavier around my waist.

My heart swelled with welcomed emotions rushing through my body. However, the feelings were short lived. I was kidding myself. Our current situation was nothing but temporary. Besides, how could I feel any happiness knowing that Leticia and her friends were suffering?

I had to focus on the goal. I tried to pull myself out of bed, but the arm around me tightened. I stayed still for about five minutes and then tried again. He didn't let go of me.

"Ranger," I whispered hoarsely.

"Stay."

I stayed still for a little longer, my eyes moving from Ranger to Ricky.

"Ranger," I whispered.

"Uhmm"

"I need to pee."

Ranger's arm loosened, but he didn't open his eyes. Instead, he puts his arm around Ricky. I figured he went to sleep just a few hours before I woke up. I hurried to the bathroom and took care of business. I brushed my teeth and fixed my hair before making my way downstairs. It was a sunny day, the light bringing life and warmth into the house.

Slowly, I'd started to love this little hut. It was beginning to feel more like home than just a temporary spot. I started the coffee and looked at the phone with regret. Had Ranger called Samuel? Figuring he left that call to me, I picked up the phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Michelle," he greeted, sorrow in his voice. "Good morning, you're up early."

"I didn't sleep well," I explained.

"I didn't sleep either," he said. "What did she tell you? Ranger wouldn't say anything."

"Could you come to my house around noon? I need to talk to you in person."

"That doesn't sound good." There was some ruffling sound and voices in the background. "I'll be there. I'm staying with a friend in Newark so it won't take me long if you want to meet earlier."

"That's ok. I'll see you then."

"Thank you, Michelle. You're a good friend."

I hung up and grabbed a cup of coffee, staring out at the window. The sun was rising on the horizon, giving the kitchen a morning glow.

Ranger came down the stairs half an hour later. I was working on eggs and pancakes to the best of my abilities. Casually, he approached the kitchen counter, watching my moves. I poured a cup of coffee and offered it to him.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay."

"You didn't sleep well," he stated. I looked at him questioningly

"You mumbled a lot during your sleep," he explained, "and you kept tossing around."

"I'm sorry I interrupted your sleep." I took my plate and sat across from him.

-rs-

It was cloudy that afternoon. Samantha, the New York City FBI agent, drove him to the house. I couldn't keep from fidgeting with anticipation. How was I supposed to tell him the news?

"Michelle," he greeted opening his arms. I gave him a tight hug and the tears started to leak. We gathered in the living room. Sofia had taken Ricky to her room to play with her Wii. Ranger gave us some privacy by taking Samantha into the backyard to talk.

"Would you like something to drink?" I asked trying to buy myself some time to gather my thoughts.

"Just tell me, Michelle. What did she say to you?"

"She was raped," I sniffled, "by the man who killed Marco."

Samuel cursed, his breath caught in his chest. No only was his brother killed, but his niece was raped. He ran a hand through his hair, and his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "This is shit. This is some messed up shit."

He stood up and started pacing around the living room. It took him a few minutes to regroup and compose himself.

"She says she has to kill him."

"Not if I get to him first." Samuel's voice was rough and controlled. Samantha and Ranger joined us in the living room. By the look on the agent's face, I could tell that Ranger had filled her in on the latest update.

Our eyes met and held.

"RangeMan traced the call to a payphone on Hamilton. The area around the phone is heavily populated. There are plenty of places for her to hide in the area. Offices, a moteland, an old construction site that hasn't been manned in almost a year. I've got two teams surveying the area, showing pictures, seeing if anyone has spotted her."

As if on cue, Ranger's phone ran. He exchanged a few words with the person on the other line and disconnected.

"They've found something."

-rs-

Less than twenty minutes later, we stood on the sidewalk in front of an old abandoned building. Hal guided us through the site and up to the second floor. In the far corner of the room laid a makeshift bed, a decent amount of newspapers, and a scrap of fabric that could be passed off as a blanket. Food and candy wrappers littered the floor. Ranger looked out the window, then back at the papers on the floor.

"She was here," Samuel said looking around with interest. "We'll have to run some fingerprint and DNA tests to confirm, but she was here. I can feel it."

"She used the payphone across the street," Ranger said, "that's what drew the guys to this place."

Samuel picked up a newspaper and handed it to me. A picture of me decorated the front page. The caption read "Bombshell Bounty Hunter Strikes Again."

"You always looked more like a Stephanie to me," he said, although I'm sure he wasn't unfamiliar to the news.

"Thanks," I replied uncertainly, not sure what else to say.

"It looks like she's took an interest in you," he continued, picking up the rest of the newspapers. All articles about the "Bombshell Bounty Hunter" piled in one corner. I couldn't believe my eyes. Where did she get all of these newspapers? I remembered the mess of papers at Mrs. Kennel's house from my last visit. Was Leti ever in the house with the Kennels? If so, why is she here now?

The most recent paper featured the last case Ranger and I worked together. At the corner of the paper, Leticia had written a message.

_Steph, _

_Alonde… Midnight & Night Buzz… The key is in the box._

_~ Leti_

I looked up to find everyone's eyes on me. Unfortunately, I had to clue what she meant.

Ricky: "Daddy!"

Ranger: "Hey, son."

Ricky: "I brought you cake."

Ranger: "Thank you." *Puts cake aside and continues typing*

*Ricky stares at the cake and then at Ranger*

Ricky: "Daddy, are you going to find Leti?"

Ranger: "Yes."

Ricky: "You're like...*thinks and gasps* my super hero." *hugs a surprised Ranger*

*Ranger sighs*

Ranger: "I love you, son."

Ranger: Hello Babes, remember that your input, reviews, and comments are highly appreciated. Let us know what you think...click on the link.


	18. The Mission

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything, unfortunately. The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. I do own Sofia.

Hello everyone, I hope everyone is doing well. Thanks to JessicaRenae for helping me make this fic so much better. Thanks for the reviews and comments.

I hope you guys enjoy it. Please let me know.

**Chap. 18 The Mission**

I unwrapped another Tastykake and observed the people moving around the room. RangeMan had filled up with federal agents and Trenton cops, the fifth floor conference room never looked so crowed.

"I smell something burning, Babe," Ranger said as he sat down in the seat next to me.

"These Tastykake's are getting smaller and smaller every year," I noted disappointingly, unwrapping my third one.

"Any idea what the note means?"

I shook my head, "no, nothing. Why hasn't Alonde been arrested already? At least being held for questioning? There were newspaper clippings on the floor of the Kennel's house. Any possibility that they might have been helping hers?" I asked.

"Kennel's fingerprints were all over the area," he confirmed, his voice softer than usual. "She believes in you, Stephanie." Our eyes locked, and for a moment, I could have sworn he believed in me too.

I fought with the wrapper of yet another Tastykake, my mind racing to find an answer to Leti's note.

"That stuff is going to kill you, Babe," he said softly, his eyes watching me carefully.

"How do you know? Don't tell me you never crave sweets? Chocolate?"

"Chocolate's healthy," he remarked, taking the candy out of my hand. He tore it in half and fed me a piece, his fingers lightly grazing my lips. I chewed my half slowly, watching him with wide eyes as he ate the other half.

"The body is a temple only four days of the week," he said with amusement in his voice.

It's not my goal in life to be his amusement, however I have to admit to myself that I am happy to have that effect on him.

"Uhm"

"I want you to go as my companion tonight," he stated.

"You mean your woman," I corrected him with false indignation.

"I'm trying to keep you safe," he explained sternly, a bit of emotion flickering in his voice. I felt inclined to keep quiet, though I didn't feel comfortable with the idea. Going undercover with Ranger meant that I would have to pretend to be his lover, which in essence requires our bodies to be in close contact. Close contact with Ranger will leave me feeling flustered and exposed all night long. Then, mix that with a little life drama.

My eyes lingered dangerously on his body as he talked to Tank and I sighed. Yesterday, Ranger brushed his hand on my shoulder by mistake, sending me a small current of electricity that caught us off guard. I don't want to think about what would happened if we ever…_deep breathe Stephanie._.. If we ever made love again.

-rs-

A few minutes a later, we took our places in the conference room. Sofia hooked her laptop to the projector. The images showed us the mass amounts of evidences we had already collected.

"Our new evidence indicates that Leticia might try to contact Stephanie again," Samantha said. "This is a good thing. We also know that she's being fed and that she went into hiding with some help. We're not disclosing the name of the suspects to the media orthe grapevine so that it doesn't interfere with the investigation. However, we have come up with an updated profile to give you an idea of what we're looking for this time. The suspect might have some sort of connection to Midnight and Night Buzz. We're looking for a male, either Caucasian or Latino, a business owner. He might look like a nice person, but he has a thirst for control. He has little respect for women and doesn't like it when people contradict or defy him."

"Tonight, our goal is to find some connection between Leticia and Night Buzz," I said, taking a pause for a deep breath. "Also, look for anybody that might look like a victim or predator. It's my experience that victims do not always _look _like victims."

Sofia changed the picture on the screen.

"This is the club's layout," she informed us. "Memorize it. I'll be going in before everyone, as a dancer commissioned by RangeMan.

"Our story consists that RangeMan is taking a well needed break," I interjected glancing at Ranger through my peripherals. "The boss is paying for it," I stated, suppressing a giggle.

The guys looked around, fighting not to smile. Yet, they couldn't hide wave of enthusiasm moving around the room. I fought the strong desire to giggle at their enthusiasm.

"Lester volunteered to be my 'bodyguard,' Sofia added with a sigh. I gave her a wide smile.

"We have a VIP reservation," Ranger informed us. "We'll arrive as a group and we'll follow protocol. Stephanie will come as my companion. We'll have three feds on the inside. Questions?"

"Mr. Manoso, my department couldn't be more grateful to you for helping us blend into this town. We've made a remarkable amount of progress." Samantha said once the presentation finished.

Ranger nodded in response.

-rs-

I prepared for the night almost ritually. My black dress was a mixture of classy and sexy. I combined it with a pair of heels and did my hair into loose curls.

My son's voice and laughter filtered through the door. It was my best medicine. I could hear him in the next room, giggling and talking to Tank like the mini adult he believed he was.

"I helped uncle Cal today," he explained. "We saw a man stealing from a shop, and uncle Lester got him. Uncle Cal said I'm a RangeMan and I can wear black like daddy."

"I don't know," Tank responded. "You'd have to train first."

A little bit of lipstick, lots of mascara, and I was more than set. I had several pep talks with myself, preparing for the night. I took a deep breath and said a small prayer.

I walked out of the living room to find Tank holding my son upside down. I watched the scene with curious eyes, trying to decode the situation. Ricky kept pulling and shifting within his arms, trying to break his hold. Tank would laugh in response and taking chances to tickle him.

He swiftly tossed my son over to Ranger. Ricky quickly opened his arms mid air and hugged him affectionately. Ranger proceed to tickle him until they where both slightly wrestling. They danced around the room trying to overpower each other. Ricky climbed up his father's back and held his grip. Soon enough, Ranger's laughter accompanied my son's.

I couldn't help rolling my eyes, although trying unsuccessfully to hide the smile on my face. Men.

It took me a few seconds to notice that Joe Morelli was also in the room. He watched the scene with longing and the faint sign of a smile. Probably thinking about the son, or daughter he was about to welcome soon into this world.

"Cupcake," he greeted.

"Hey, Joe. I didn't know you were coming with us."

"I was called in at last minute."

"You ready?" Ranger asked, his eyes scanning over my body. I tried to ignore him.

"Yes, just need one more thing. Ricky, where did you put my hat?" I asked my son, knowing that I saw him playing with it at home.

"In my backpack, mommy."

"Morelli will be in the van outside the club," Tank informed me quickly. I nodded, searching for my hat in the overnight bag. "We're following up on last minute information."

"On Leticia?"

"No," Morelli said, "on a sequence of murders involving Night Buzz and Midnight. A number of girls have been found dead near the river in the last three weeks."

I found the beret and I put it on trying not to mess my hair.

"Bomber," Tank said with an unusual smile, his eyes scanning my outfit, and focusing on my hat.

"You look pretty, mommy."

Ranger resorted for his classic void expression. He could look almost non-human with that face. I wondered if he was trying to restrain his emotions through lockdown mode.

"Thank you, baby," I said softly to Ricky. "You behave tonight, okay? Don't give Ella a hard time."

He kissed and hugged everybody good night and I led the way out of the room.

"I like the beret," Tank commented. "It adds a certain touch to the outfit."

"Thanks."

I heard Joe murmur something under his breath and a rare growl from Ranger in return as we all piled into the elevator.

The door dinged our arrival on the garage level. The sound of voices filtered in as we waited for the doors to open. I received whistles and knowing smiles from the Merry Men. A few of them saluted once they recognized the beret on my head.

"Cupcake," Joe said amusingly, "like always, making a statement and causing riots. You look beautiful. Although, I don't think you need that hat."

I could have sworn I saw Ranger's muscles flex, maybe a little.

"Thanks," I replied with uncertainty. "Are we ready?"

Ranger gave Joe a single nod and walked over to the Porsche.

"Babe."

"Do you like it?" I pointed to my hat. "I figured, since everyone knows that I'm your woman."

"You're being sarcastic."

"A little," I confessed. "I love the hat though. It's an authentic Ranger Special Force's black beret."

"I own one myself," he said. "How did you get it?"

"A friend of mine gave it to me in New York, but I never had the chance to wear it."

"Boyfriend?"

"Does it matter?"

"Stephanie, whatever happens tonight I want to make sure it doesn't make our relationship more confusing."

"Ranger, you're sleeping in my bed," I reminded him. "How much more confusing can it get?"

"Is that why you're wearing that hat? As payback?"

"Ranger."

"It's _Carlos_."

I chuckled, "you're jealous."

"Babe, I'm trying not to complicate our relationship even more, but you're tempting me."

-rs-

"It's show time," Ranger whispered, putting an arm around my waist. The manager of the club approached us.

"Mr. Manoso," he greeted Ranger, his eyes filled with excitement. "It's a pleasure to have you and your company with us tonight."

They shook hands and we were led to the VIP room. I rolled my eyes at the Merry Men howling at the strippers on stage. Great! There's even more of a reason to be self conscious about my body, a bunch of perfect women dancing half naked in front of Ranger.

"You should cover your eyes," I said dryly.

"Babe, I have to be aware of my surroundings," he chuckled pulling me towards him and placing me on his lap. He held me tight against him. He surveyed the setting with purpose. I redirected my interest to those around me, finding comfort on the warmth radiating from the person holding me.

He placed a light kiss on my ear and continued down to my shoulder. I reminded myself, _this is all for show. _

Ranger warned me not to let this night disturb the progress we made in our relationship as friends and parents.

I nuzzled against him, my lips brushing lightly against his neck. He was warm and it made me feel safe.

"It's official, everyone knows we're here," Tank's voice came from the little wireless device in my ear. "There's a man by the bar watching your every move, Bomber."

"Maybe I should take a look," I whispered loudly over the music. Ranger's arms tightened around me in resistance.

There was a man at the far corner of the bar with his eyes fixed on us. I shifted my position and looked back at Ranger.

"Would you like something to drink, mi amor," I purred, his eyes narrowing slightly. I heard laughter coming from my earwig. Ranger's eyes landed on my lips, studying them temptingly.

Unexpectedly, our lips connected. The kiss was gentle and I can't deny that I enjoyed it. He said he wouldn't kiss me anymore. It made me wonder if he had changed his mind or if it was all just part of the act.

I quickly removed myself from his arms, a little ruffled, and walked to the bar letting my spidey senses take over.

"Something strong," I yelled at the bartender. Bobby smiled and hurried over to prepare something that looked alcoholic.

"Would your man mind if I buy you a drink?" The man had a deep voice, kind of grave.

"No," I lied. "I would though."

He gave me a lopsided and cocky smile, "Cameron Smith."

"Nice name," I noted sarcastically, playing the profile given to me. If he's the suspect, then he won't appreciate the remark. The smile widened.

"You haven't given me your name, sweetie," he replied, reaching to curled my hair in one of his fingers. I took a step back, away from his wandering hand. A woman with a non-existent dress walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him.

I could feel Ranger's presence behind me. He snaked an arm around my waist and kissed my temple.

"Mi Amor, I was waiting for you."

"Baby, this is Cameron Smith," I introduced with a fake smile.

"Mr. Manoso, I didn't believe the rumors when I heard you were here," Cameron replied in the same manner.

"Once in a while, I like to reward my employees for their hard work."

"Do you usually join in on the fun?"

"I like to make sure I'm paying for good service," Ranger responded smoothly. "Please stay for the commissioned performance, it's on my tab. Now, if you'd excuse us."

We walked back to our table in silence.

"He's still watching." Tank said through the earpiece. We sat together and waited for the real show. The strippers walked off the stage despite the unhappiness of the men and those few women in the room. The lights dimmed, ethnic western belly dance music filled the room.

Sofia didn't think of belly dance as a sexual dance, but as a sensual one. She liked to remind me that this type of dance originated with women for the enjoyment and celebration of themselves, their womanhood. Unlike popular belief, belly dance was not created for the enjoyment and satisfaction of men. Therefore, I understood how difficult it was for her to dance on _this_ stage.

Sofia's a great dancer. She moved her body in perfect rhythm and skillfully. The club seemed to get quiet the second the dance started.

I took the chance to casually observe my surroundings. Cameron wasn't anywhere in sight.

A young lady in a red dress too short for modesty walked over to us.

"This is for you," she shouted over the music and with a shaky hand gave Ranger a note.

Ranger nodded in reply taking the not from her hand. We waited for her to walk back to her friends before reading the note.

_If you're interested in good entertainment for your employees. I'm sure they won't be dissatisfied with what they have to offer. They'll be waiting under the beer sign. _

There was a price noted at the bottom. Ranger and I looked up casually. I did an intake of breath. There was a group girls sitting awkwardly around a table, drinks in hands. On the surface, they looked happy. They looked young, maybe early twenties, at least I hoped. They could be younger.

"Ranger," I breathed.

"Freedman, the girls in the corner," Ranger grunted.

"I see them," came the solemn voice of Samantha through the earpiece. "They are too young and they look uncomfortable. One of them has a swollen eye, and her behavior fits the profile of abuse. She keeps flinching when someone touches her. Can we get them out safely?"

Samantha is an assertive sort of woman. She didn't want to wait for reassurance, she likes accomplishing her goals quickly. Ranger signaled Tank, who was sitting at the other end of the room.

"What's up?"

Ranger placed the asking price in the envelope.

"This is for you," he said smiling, "and the boys. If you want to get out of here."

I felt cheated, suddenly entertaining the idea that Ranger would give money for such a cause. I glanced up at the Merry Men. Then at the group of girls once again and shook my head. Ranger gently held my chin and turned my head to meet his eyes.

"They'll get them out safely," he soothed and pecked my lips. Sofia was now making her way back on the stage. I was so distracted by the whole exchange that I didn't see her come off the stage to dance around the tables. The men demanded another dance when she finally retreated backstage.

I found myself searching for Lester. He was sitting by the table closest to the stage. He quickly got up to follow her. My eyes immediately followed Tank as he passed around the note to each of the Merry Men. Immediately, one by one started approaching and interacting with the girls, big grins on their faces.

Ranger pretended not to care, but I groaned internally as they left our area. It was all I could do not to comment.

"Babe, he's still watching you," Ranger whispered in my ear. "He might get suspicious."

Ranger captured my lips with his lips and kissed me passionately. The kiss was long and intense. It left me breathless and a little dizzy.

"You're trying to distract me," I said accusingly, poking his chest with my finger.

"It's the beret," he replied.

"Is it?" I asked mildly. "Is this payback?"

A felt his hand run up my skirt, sending a shot of electricity though my body, like a tingling sensation that set my heart racing like I had just completed the Boston marathon. Thankfully, the Merry Men were unable to see his hand up my skirt.

"I'll go check on Sofia," I mumbled, mostly hoping to get away from the reality a few tables away from me.

"You might give yourself away," he reminded me. The strippers came back onstage and started entertaining the crowd. Now I was really starting to feel uncomfortable.

"This will be over in no time," I heard a voice in my ear. Ranger adjusted our positions, his leg inhibiting the space between my tights. He started to kiss me once again.

Soon, the guys had taken half of the girls outside with them. I had no idea where they were taking them, or what was happening outside for that matter.

"Steph," I heard Sofia's voice in my ear, "restroom. Now!"

I quickly stood up and gave Ranger a faked smile. I didn't need to explain myself. He heard her on the ear peace.

There was a man standing outside the women's restroom. He was playing on his cell phone. I didn't think too much about it and went into the bathroom.

It was a small room, badly taken care of, and smelled faintly of cigarette smoke and old urine. It was also empty and that was understandable, not many women go out to strip clubs…. Well, at least not this sort of strip club.

The music drowned away when the door closed. I was looking around searching for Sofia when I heard the sob. It was coming from the last stall. I looked down through the bottom of the stall doors.

"Sofia?" I inquired.

"In here," the last door opened and she peeked outside. I walked over to her side and looked inside the stall. There was a girl in a mini skirt and a sparkly tank top sitting on the dirty toilet seat. She looked around eighteen, dark brown hair, and beautiful bronze skin. The girl's eyes opened wide, staring at me in surprise.

"We're going to get you out of here," Sofia said softly, then directed her eyes to me.

"She was brought in through the back door with the other girls," Sofia explained, "but she got sick and they made her sit on the floor behind the dressing room. The moron standing outside is "watching out for her."

"Did you see who brought them in?"

"I don't know this man, but he was wearing suit. I overheard him talking to the manager about some possible new clients."

"Does he have a scar next to his left eye, a little dark parch?"

She nodded.

"Please, get me out of here." The girl next to us pleaded timidly. "Don't let them take me back there."

"What is your name?" I asked.

"Katherine," she sobbed. "My name Katherine."

"Katherine, we'll get you out of here in no time," I soothed. Sofia and I stepped aside.

"How are we going to do this?" She asked.

"Where's Lester?"

"He's watching the back door."

"Let's take out the moron and get Lester. The Merry Men are taking the girls outside. Samantha and the officers are meeting them there. I don't know the logistics yet, but Ranger assured me that they'll be safe."

"Alright," she replied pulling her hair into a ponytail. She adjusted her skirt and walked out the door. A few seconds later, she came back dragging the moron's body through the door. We pulled him into a stall and sat him on the toilet, his butt sinking down the bowl.

"We are definitely a team," I said proudly.

"Yes, we are, my friend." She said in replied. I smiled knowingly and pressed the little bottom of the mic hidden under my dress.

"We have a situation in the women's restroom. Where's Lester?"

"Roger that, I'll let him know," Al responded. He was sitting outside in the van.

"Are you from around here?" I asked Katherine.

"No, they brought me over from Cali," she said sadly, her eyes pooling with tears. She was a long way from home.

"You'll be back home in no time," I said.

"Steph, Sofia, Lester isn't responding," Al informed us hurriedly.

"What?"

"I'm trying to contact him, but he's not responding. I'm sending Bobby to investigate."

Sofia removed her shoes and tiptoed towards the door. I did the same, debating if I should go or stay. Sofia did a double take and we communicated with our eyes. I nodded and she left in search of Lester.

I focused my attention back to the girl sobbing next to me. The more I paid attention to her features, the more resemblance found to Julie Martine-Manoso.

We waited patiently for about five minutes. The man in the stall started to regain consciousness. I hit him with the heel of my shoe, knocking him out.

"Stephanie, stay where you are," Tank said in my ear. "Lester's been hit. Ranger's on the way to get you."

Soon the door slammed open and Ranger came in with a gun at the ready. He raised an eyebrow at the feet sticking out of the stall. I ignored the eyebrow and proceeded to introduce him to one of our victims.

"Ranger, this is Katherine."

Ranger scanned the girl for deadly weapons before putting away his gun.

"We've been exposed," he said. "We have to leave the building and let the feds handle the rest."

"We've got to get Katherine out," I reminded him. "She was brought in with the group."

He nodded. The door to the bathroom slammed opened and a man entered gun in hand.

"The girl comes with me," he stated. Ranger and I exchanged a brief glance before responding.

"You bastard," I yelled at Ranger. Ranger's eyes narrowed slightly.

"How dare you cheat on me like that? Am I not good enough for you? Tell me!"

"What?" Moron number two mumbled to himself. He was confused.

"Am I too old for you? You have to get it from this… this…." I had a hard time finding the right world, not wanting to insult the girl next to me. She had had enough of it without me.

"Maybe if you put out more," Ranger responded neutrally. He caught up pretty quickly.

I found myself narrowing my eyes at him. I needed to make this convincing enough to make Moron Number Two believe it was real.

"More?" I asked. "You want me to put out _more_? You're insatiable!"

"You could improve your skills."

"Excuse me? You think I suck in bed? Is this why your mother bought me all of those sex toys? You told your mother about our sex life!"

Ranger's expression didn't change, but hesitated a little.

"I don't tell my mother about my sex life," he stated.

"Right," I huffed. "You know what, you can keep her. I don't care. Go, take her home with you."

I pushed her lightly towards Ranger and he pulled her into his arms. The girl whimpered and hunched protectively. It was cleared to me that she didn't like being touched by a man.

Ranger turned to the man at the door.

"I already paid your boss," he told him. "The girl is mine for tonight. I'll drop her at the front in the morning."

He sounded like he was talking about a piece of meat or a toy. I tried my best to pretend to be upset and stalked out of the room.

Once out of sight, I started breathing again, hoping that my bad acting had convinced Moron Number Two.

**Ranger's POV**

The girl in my arms whimpered when the man slammed the door after him. I wouldn't mind taking him down. He called her a whore.

She clutched to my t-shirt and sobbed. I took a deep, cleansing breath, trying to figure out our next move.

"I have a girl with me, her name is Katherine," I said into the microphone. "I'd need backup."

"Roger that," I heard in response, my mind wondering about my cousin's whereabouts.

"We need to go out there and look convincing," I prompted gently. "It's going to be hard, but I promise you that I would never hurt you. Just keep close to me. I'll get you out of here in no time."

She nodded into my t-shirt and we made out way outside the door. The spaced assigned for RangeMan was nearly empty, except for a few feds. We exchanged a barely visible nod and she looked at the backstage door. I knew Stephanie had gone after Sofia and Lester.

The girl next to me shook uncontrollably. I looked down at her and caressed her half hidden face with the back of my fingers. She was running a fever.

I managed to contain my urge to curse and took her to my table. She was uncomfortable with me, constantly flinching at any sudden touch, tears in her eyes. I sent a signal to Tank and he came over quickly.

"Look what I found for myself," I yelled over the sound, smiling. He nodded in approval and took a step forward.

"Where's the other one?" He asked with concern.

"She left to find her friend." I said. "I'm taking this one home."

He glanced at the girl with curiosity. "Do you know who's our dealer? It would help to find out."

I leaned into her and whispered in her ear. "Could you tell us who brought you here?"

"Link." She said hesitantly.

"Could you point him out to us if you see him?"

She didn't reply, but nodded after a few minutes. She perked up and looked around the room, searching. Finally, her eyes landed on her target because she looked away quickly, and hid her face.

I looked up to find Mr. Smith watching us from the second landing. He watched us with discuss written plainly across his face. He never took his eyes off from us as he dug for something in his jacket. It was a gun. He pointed it at us, and pretended to shoot, a threat.

I stood up and pulled Katherine towards the exit door.

I yelled into the mic. "The Link has been identified."

Two men guarded the exit door. I quickly scanned the room for an alternative. We walked backstage, running though of group of women clad in lingerie.

"Where's Stephanie?" I grunted at the mic.

"She's with Sofia," Al answered. "They got Lester out the building."

"Good."

"Ranger, where are you?" Steph's worried voice came through the mic.

"Smith is the link," I said. "Katherine identified him and he identified us. I don't think we were invited to his party tonight."

"Ranger, almost everybody is out the building," she said in panic. "You need help? There's a door to the back ally in the men's restroom. I'll meet you there."

"I'd rather you stay where you are."

"Ranger!" She snapped angrily.

"My name is Carlos, Stephanie. _Carlos_."

There was a ruffling sound followed by silence.

"Stephanie!"

"She's gone," Al answered in defeat. I cursed under my breath and found the door in the men's restroom. It was nearly empty, except for one stall. I was about to open the door to exit when the stall's door opened.

"I see you joined in the fun, Mr. Manoso," a voice mocked from behind me. "Perhaps, you're willing to make an exchange. Where's that lovely brunette of yours?"

The girl stiffened in my arms, her nails clawing through my shirt to my skin. I held her closely and turned around.

"The brunette is mine forever," I warned. "We just had a misunderstanding. This one is mine only for the night."

I raised a curious brow, "Were you hiding in the toilet Mr. Smith?"

He took a step aside and opened the door for me. I decided that this was our only chance of leaving the building alive. Who knows how many armed men are still in the building? Considering that most of my men left the building, the few of us still on the inside were greatly outnumbered.

Hesitantly, Katherine and I took a step forward into the night, the cold air hitting our skin.

"What would your mother think, Kat," Smith said calculatingly. Katherine's grip tightened on to me and she stayed still.

"Look at me."

Katherine raised her head slowly and timidly over my shoulder, not quite making eye contact. I tried my best to ignore him, but he had already drawn his gun.

"You have proven to be nothing, but a whore."

"Ranger!" I heard Stephs's hurried voice called out for me. I turn around to find Smith aiming a gun at me. He looked calm, his feet slightly apart. I pushed the girl behind me.

We stood guns pointed at each other. Steph was standing behind Smith, with her weapon at aimed at his back.

Al and Tank appeared next to her. Morelli and Carl arrived and positioned themselves to fire. I kept my face expressionless. He was coming with us or dying on the spot.

"Awwe, this is not exciting at all," he continued in the same mocking voice. "I knew about your intentions tonight, Mr. Manoso."

"Why don't you give up now, Mr. Smith? You are cornered."

Katherine kept crying behind me.

"The little girl is scared," he said sarcastically. "You should have thought better, Kat."

"Put down your weapon," Carl yelled at Smith. "Now!"

"What weapon? This one?" Smith fired at a window. The women inside started screaming. Katherine panicked, falling to the ground, crawling away towards the garbage cans.

Cameron Smith smirked and emptied his clip into her before falling lifelessly on the ground himself. Letica's whereabouts and other information died with him. It was suicide by cop.

Katherine* blinked a few times in disbelief, until her eyes became lifeless.

I emptied my gun into the man already dead on the ground, rage radiating from my skin. Finally, I ran out of bullets. The street became silent and we all stood there watching the girl on the ground. The ambulance and the police appeared at the distance.

Stephanie walked slowly towards me and removed the gun from my hand. I felt the heat from adrenaline radiating from my body and leaned towards her for some comfort. The incident had left Stephanie cold.

"Ranger," she swallowed, wrapping her arms around my torso.

I relaxed in her embrace. The paramedics lifted Katherine into the ambulance and drove away.

Ricky: *Comes in the office dressed like batman and announces* I want a puppy.

Ranger: *Tickling Ricky* But we don't need one because you're my little puppy.

Ricky: *Upset* "I'm not a puppy. I'm batman."

Ranger: *Holding him and kissing his cheek* "Yes, you're not a puppy, you're my little batbaby."

Don't hesitate to leave a review... -


	19. On The News

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything, unfortunately. The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. But I do own Sofia.

JessicaRenae, thank you for all the time you've put into this story. I'm grateful for your help. Also, I would like to thank everyone for reading, reviewing, and commenting. It makes me very happy. So, once again, I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter.

**Chapter 19… On the News**

**Lester's POV**

I moaned once again getting the desired effect from Sofia. Immediately, she hovered over the hospital bed and watched me with curious eyes. I stared back at her with a knowing smile, and she tilted her head to the side with curiosity.

"Do you need anything?" She asked sweetly. "Are you hurting?"

The doctor came through the door before I could answer and she bombarded him with questions.

"He's obviously in pain," she complained. "Why can't you give him something stronger?

"Ms. Mendes, I assure you that Mr. Santos will be just fine," the doctor answered a little hesitantly. "We have already given him the max dosage he can receive."

"Then, why is he moaning in pain?"

The doctor read the chart, examined my vitals and wounds. Obviously, he wasn't going to find anything new. They had given me enough pain medication and my limbs were numb.

"Ms. Mendes, you should only worry about his concussion."

I felt a little guilty making her worry about me this way, but I like that she worries about me.

"I'll check back in an hour," the doctor said and left the room.

"Come here," I said, extending my hand for her to take. She took it hesitantly and looked up at me with concern showing in her eyes.

She was still wearing the belly dance outfit, but Vince had given her a jacket to put on. I didn't know why Vince's sudden attention on Sofia bothered me. On the other hand, the jacket covered her bare skin from preying eyes, so that's good. I still don't like that wore another man's clothes.

"Where does it hurt?" She asked me, still concerned that I was experiencing discomfort. I thought about it for one second and carefully lifted my hand to my lips.

"Here," I told her hoarsely. "If you kiss it, I'm sure it will be all better."

She giggled, but then stopped abruptly, cleaning her throat. Sofia seemed to think about it for a few seconds and leaned down placing her soft lips to mine.

"Thank you," I breathed, closing my eyes and savoring the moment. I don't know what it is about Sofia. I've never been so attracted to someone this way before, and watching her shimmy so perfectly on the stage made me feel quite… enchanted? Charmed? No, now I'm going crazy. The drugs are seriously messing me up. I've never used such diction. Charmed, I huffed.

"Beautiful." I smiled ruefully when Steph came into the room. "How are you?"

"I appear to be doing better than you," she replied sadly. "How's the cut?"

"The doctor says it doesn't look bad in comparison to my previous ones," I said rolling my eyes, "but he gave me nine stitches. Moving will be a pain for a while."

I showed her the stitches on my stomach and told her about the concussion.

"How's Ranger doing?" Sofia asked, giving me a cup of water.

"He's checking on Katherine's status," Steph said hesitantly. "We provided as much information as possible to the FBI. I was taken aside to make my statement, but all I could think about was Ranger. I found him an hour later sitting in the truck by himself."

"How long are you in for?" She asked, bringing her focus back to my injuries instead of the emotional pain that Ranger was suffering.

"I'll leave in a few hours," I replied grudgingly, "I hate hospitals."

Sofia shook her head.

"He has a concussion," she said, giving me a glare. "The doctor wants him to stay overnight. My assumption is that he won't be leaving anytime soon. At least not on my watch."

I felt the smile reach my eyes, but tried to keep my face composed. Steph smiled a little and gave me a knowing look, full of warning.

"Stephanie, be careful," I told her in all seriousness. There's something fishy about the way things went down tonight. A few things did not make sense. We were chess pieces, and we were played.

-rs-

**Steph's POV**

We drove back to Haywood. Ranger made his way to the gym, and I made my way up to the seventh floor. My son was sleeping on Ella's lap, peaceful and happy.

She looked up at me and offered a smile.

"He was waiting for you," she explained.

I smiled back, thanked her, and wished her goodnight.

Ricky stirred in my arms when I lifted him off the sofa. I had forgotten that my hands were cold. He opened his sleepy eyes and wrapped his arms around my neck.

"I love you, baby," I whispered in his ear and placed a lingering kiss on his forehead.

"Love you too, mommy," he responded almost inaudibly.

I kicked off my shoes, stripped off my clothes, and took a long shower. The warm water soothed my aching muscles. By the time I was done, patches of purple bruising started making their appearance.

I dressed quickly but still remained too energized for sleep. It was then I remember Sofia taught me how to prepare a peculiar kind of hot chocolate for moments like this one. It was comfort food for when the job was too hard and things came out worse than expected. I made a quick call to Ella, and soon enough, she appeared at the door with all the ingredients. Twenty minutes later, I had a sweet and creamy pot of hot chocolate.

I placed the cups on the coffee table and went back to the kitchen to retrieve the strawberries Ella had brought up with her as a snack. Maybe she thought some sort normalcy had come to RangeMan.

"It wasn't my choice to spend the night at RangerMan. It was Ranger's, and after a night like tonight, I couldn't refuse tonight.

Ranger found me sitting on the floo by the coffee table, my legs crossed under me. I noticed that his hair was wet, and he was carrying a towel. He had taken a shower downstair before joining us.

"I came to drop off some things," he said. "I'll be sleeping in apartment seven downstairs. Call me if you need anything."

My head filled with confusion. Why the trouble? We have been sleeping in the same bed for the past two or three nights. I don't think he would get any closer than how he did today, with the kisses. I shook my head to clear it.

"Would you like some hot chocolate? How do you say it in Spanish, chocolate caliente?"

He stared at me expressionless.

"Ella brought strawberries," I added suggestively. He dropped his bag on the floor and sat down in front of me. He glanced at the cup and took a careful sip. Then, he stared at it and took a long sip. I smiled inside.

"How's your arm?"

I glanced at my shoulder and noticed how dark the bruises were for the first time.

"It doesn't hurt," I said dismissively. "I had a few encounters on my way out, but nothing big."

"You've became a good fighter," he commented. I stayed silent, realizing how I pathetic I might have appeared to him when we first met.

"Do you really think I need to improve my skills… you know, in bed?" I asked, my face feeling a little warm from embarrassment.

Ranger's stoic expression became softer and his eyes began to shine.

"You almost fooled me tonight," he said in his usual tone, "your argument seemed a little convincing. I want to think that I'm good at detecting lies, especially that part about my mom giving you toys."

I sipped my drink but didn't tell him anything about his mother's presents. I will neither, confirm or deny it.

"How are the girls?"

"We can't interrogate any of the girls until we're cleared," Ranger replied regretfully, his expression changing. There was a moment's silence before he asked, "Katherine looks a lot like Julie, doesn't she?"

"Yes, she does," I responded softly and a little taken back by his question. It was more than a question. It was Ranger sharing a part of himself with me; he's telling me, without too many words, the way he felt.

"Tonight wasn't your fault, you know," I soothed.

Ranger dipped a strawberry in the hot chocolate and brought it to his mouth.

"You got chocolate on your lip," I noticed. He moved his finger over it.

"Not quite there."

He tried again but missed the spot.

I popped another strawberry into my mouth to stop from giggling.

"Nope."

"Go ahead, laugh."

"Let me help you," I walked over on my knees towards him and removed the chocolate from his lip with my thumb. He stared lovingly into my eyes, and I promptly moved away.

"You should call Julie," I said softly, my voice losing an octave, "and tell her how much you love her."

"Babe."

"Good night, Ranger," I yawned, beating myself for deluding myself in the dream that this night might bring Ranger's kisses and touch back to me. Then, I mentally beat myself again for thinking so selfishly. How can I think about Ranger's kisses? He's affected by the night's events. How can I expect him to help me deal with my feelings this night when he's having a hard time himself?

Why do I seem to forget that he's also human?

"Stephanie?"

Okay, this time I mentally slapped myself. Why was it so difficult for me to call Ranger by his name? I groaned in frustration.

He grabbed my hand and I stayed carefully still, waiting.

"I looked into her eyes, and I thought she was Julie," he confessed, his head dropping to my shoulder. "I watched them go lifeless before my eyes, and I couldn't do anything about it."

"I hope there's a place in you heart where you give yourself some credit. I would like to believe that in your heart, even a little bit, you can forgive yourself for those things you want forgiveness."

He heaved a rare sigh.

"Tonight was too easy." He said sincerely. "Why did he give up so easily?"

"Maybe he didn't find a way out, so he resorted by suicide by cop," I huffed.

"No, he knew about the door. He could have left earlier before we noticed anything. The door was not in the original map."

"Call Julie, say hi for me," I told him, taking my cup from the table. I washed it in the kitchen and watched Ranger from afar. I decided to give him so privacy and went straight to bed. The night filled with nightmares and dreams that made little sense.

-rs-

**Ranger's POV**

The next day I woke up on the sofa. Although, I didn't plan to sleep on it, but the apartment on the fourth floor suddenly appeared too lonely. In the middle of the night, Ricky had somehow made his way to the sofa and snuggled up against me.

I felt him twist around besides me. He curled up and opened his eyes. I kept my eyes half close, anticipating his next move. He stayed up for the most part, playing with his fingers, and singing to himself. I think it was an Italian lullaby.

He must have sensed that I was watching because he quickly turned his face towards me. I shut my eyes, pretending to be asleep, and peeked. He giggled quietly.

"Daddy," he whispered, nudging me. I couldn't help but smile. Ricky jumped onto my chest and embraced me. I lifted him off me and wrestled with him for a few minutes.

I helped him in the bathroom and called Ella for some breakfast. By the time Stephanie woke up, Ricky and I were finished eating. Ricky grabbed the beret from the table and put it on his head.

I glared at the hat. Steph said it came from a friend and I kept telling myself the same thing. Although, I admit that it was sexy watching her walking around with it.

I called Tank.

"Report."

"Katherine's condition hasn't changed. The authorities are not questioning the victims until further notice."

"Lester?"

"He'll be back this morning," Tanks answered amusingly. "Sofia spent the night with him at the hospital. I'll let you know when they get back."

"Could you run a search for any possible Special Force members Stephanie might have met in the past four years?"

Tank stayed silent for a few seconds.

"Okay… You do know that knowing Helena, she probably met a considerable number of Rangers."

"Yes, I've considered that," I answered, feeling a little like a child.

"Have you seen the paper?" Tank asked.

-rs-

**Steph's POV**

There was a picture of one of the victims and me standing in front of the club. My arm around her shoulder. The heading read the following:

"_**The Bombshell Bounty Hunter Against Human Trafficking. Stephanie Plum, a role model for Trenton, New Jersey." By Amy Morelli. **_

_Therefore, there's not doubt that Stephanie Plum is someone to take note, a role model. This Jersey girl has put in prison more than twenty, many considered first-class criminals. _

_Ms. Plum puts herself in the shoes others, enabling her to follow her instincts, and encouraging her to continue. _

"_I have a son," she tells me during our first meeting while her adorable three years old son rubs my swollen belly hoping to feel the baby kick once again. _

"_I've done similar cases," she continues. "I can't turn away a case regarding a missing child. It hits too close to home. I try to put myself in the shoes of other people."_

_The bounty hunter played a key role in the recovery of Julie Martine, a case that had us over the edge a few years ago. Ms. Martine is the biological daughter of Ricardo Manoso, best known as Ranger, with whom Stephanie Plum have a son. He's the current CEO of RangeMan Inc, the private contractor leading the investigation._

_Yesterday, sixteen girls were recovered from the take down. One of them, Katherine, rushed to the hospital in a coma. It's rumored that the infamous Link has been captured, but Leticia Movio is yet to be found. _

The article continued on with details of the investigation and opening more questions. I read taking in the information.

"I'm not a role model," I protested.

"Did you give her permission for an interview?" Ranger asked. "She's exposed personal information about us.

"No," I muttered, "but it's not like we're keeping Ricky's existence a secret."

"Ricky is not a secret," Tank interjects gently, "but now this information has gone national. We can expect more reporters knocking on our doors, searching for more information."

"I don't want reporters following Stephanie around like moths," Ranger said. "I'll ask Samantha to give a statement on our behalf, it will keep the reporters off for a while."

Tank nodded in response and exited the room. Ranger walked around the desk and put my hands on my shoulders.

"But I'm not a role model," she snapped, my reflecting the confusion I felt inside.

"I'm sure Amy didn't have any bad intentions," Ranger assured me, "her article might not even get much attention, but it's good to be safe."

"Okay," I answered uncertainly. "Could you watch Ricky for a few hours?"

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to visit a new friend."

-rs-

Ricky: (holding a rose behind his back) Hola, tia Sofia.

Sofia: Hey, sweetheart.

Ricky: (offering the rose) Would you be my girlfriend?

Sofia: (picks him up) Awe, sweetie. I'll be your girlfriend when you're taller, but right now you're a little bit too short for me.

Ricky: Okay. (He kisses her cheek and runs off to give his mother the news.)

Hello,

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	20. Basement

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own anything. The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. However, I do own Sofia.**

**Note: Happy Holidays! I hope everyone is doing well. Thanks to JessicaRenae and Joleen for helping me make this fan fiction so much better. Thanks to everyone for reviews and comments. It has taken me a long time, but this story is almost over. I am grateful for all the support and for your patience. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Also, ****I posted some new material on my blogs. The links are on my profile if you guys would like to check those out. Take care!**

**Chapter 20. Basement**

The traffic didn't help my mood. My anger flared. How dared she? Why would she write about us without my permission? The worst part of all was that I still thought she was a decent person. A part of my brain that told me that Joe would have never married a hypocrite.

Finally, I reached the house and managed to slam on my breaks inches before denting the rear side of Joe's car. In the distance, I saw Amy battling with an oversize tote bag. She looked up, aware of my presence and quickly made her way towards the car.

"Stay in the car," Amy said before I had time to dismount. She slid into the seat next to me and threw her possessions in the back.

"The Turbo will make a better impression," she said thoughtfully. Then, she studied my clothes with her gaze. "What are you wearing?"

I gapped feeling miffed, in more than one way.

"What exactly are you playing at?" I questioned, the words finally coming out of my mouth. "Do you know in how much risk you put my family? My son?"

"It was a necessary hazard."

"It was a necessary hazard?" I echoed.

"Mrs. Alonde would not even consider you," she admonished. "Lucy told me that Mrs. Alonde thinks you are a good for nothing. She said that you only caused chaos and destruction to the city of Trenton."

I gaped in surprise. Although, I don't know why it surprised me. Perhaps, it was the cruelty behind the words, the degradation.

"Don't get all emotional," she commanded.

I glared at her in annoyance.

"Not everybody in this tiny little world has to like you," she ranted, almost hysterically. "We are women. Why do we always want to be liked by everybody in the world? Why? This is why so many women feel trapped. They live their lives trying to accomplish everybody else's dreams, measured by everybody else's standards of happiness. Instead, they should pursue their own dreams and their own happiness."

Amy's eyes filled with a fierce and indescribable emotion. My mind was too clouded with worry, shock, and confusion to decipher her little speech. In a way, I'm quite sure not all her words were directed at me.

I paused, "what does that have to do with your article?"

Amy's eyebrows knitted and she smirked.

"Stephanie, your family has one of the best protection system in all of the US," she retorted. "There's no way anyone is going to get to Ranger, and even less a chance they would get to Ricky."

"Do you know how much work and stress it takes to keep everyone at RangeMan safe?"

Amy sighed, "I'm sorry, but this is your only way to Alonde's house. Now she called me personally to request a meeting and asked me to invite you. I was going to pick you up, but based on the fact that you're using Ranger's car, and dressed in Ranger's t-shirt, I conclude that I wouldn't have found you home."

I grunted and started the engine. "Are you always this irritating?"

"Only when there's a story. I'm good at finding stories." She mused, "sorry for the ranting. It wasn't entirely directed at you. After this article, Ms. Alonde has no choice. She has to invite you to her house and at least pretend to like you, because today…Trenton loves."

-RS-

Mrs. Alonde puffed on her cigarette, starring at us through half narrowed eyes. She turned to her side and placed her cigarette on the ashtray.

"Amy, darling, how's the baby?" She asked, smiling warmly at Amy.

"She's almost done cooking," she replied.

"She?" I gasped. Joe's having a girl?

"We don't know the sex yet, but I'm sure we're are having a girl." She told me softly. "Laura, this is Stephanie Plum. Stephanie, this is Laura Alonde."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Laura greeted as if finally noticing me for the first time. Laura's eyes scanned my figure and her eyes dwelled on the logo over my breast.

"I read Amy's piece this morning," she informed us. "It was lovely. I'm happy to meet the infamous Bombshell bounty hunter. Please, follow me. We can have coffee or tea if you prefer."

She led us to a small study, and we sat in silence for a few minutes until the service brought tea and cookies.

"Stephanie, you must be so busy these days, with the kidnapping and all. Tell me, are you working for RangeMan?"

"Yes, I am."

Ranger forced me into working with RangeMan once again. All with the intention to keep me safe and bored in front of the computer screen.

"Ohh," she answered, taking a sip of tea. "My husband wanted to request RangeMan services, but he opted for a company with more experience. You know, quality."

I nodded and faked a smile. Amy and Laura exchanged a few sentences about the book club and the other ladies in the book club, and their families. I made a few passing comments about the books in the list.

Laura wanted to know everything about everybody, running to Amy in quest for juicy gossip that she never provided. I stepped back from the conversation and examined the room once again.

"Could I use your bathroom?"

"Of course," she said, signaling her maid. A girl with a blue maid's dress stepped forward. She had large brown eyes, her hair pulled back into a ponytail. On our way to the bathroom, I noticed she was limping, dragging her right foot slightly.

"How long have you worked for the Alonde's?" I asked. She slowed her steps.

"A little too long," she said with a slight southern accent, "but soon I'm moving away."

"Relocating?"

"No, just going away." She replied. "You are that woman from the papers, right? The one the boss was talking about, the bounty hunter?"

"Yes," I said instinctively.

We walked down the stairs and through a number of corridors before reaching the bathroom.

She led me to the kitchen. The other maids stopped on their tracks and to look at us. The girl put a finger over her mouth, indicating that they should not speak. Then, the young woman led me to a hidden stairs door behind the kitchen. I could tell by the closet full of aprons and uniform that it was the service's bathroom.

My alerts flags flared up immediately, not that they weren't flaring already.

"What's your name?" I asked the girl.

"Victoria," she said. "People used to call me Victoria Black."

"Used?"

"Yes, the bathroom is here," she indicated to the bathroom, but move her fingers to point towards the end of the hall. I nodded in understanding, and she hurried back to the kitchen.

I used the bathroom and investigated my surroundings. It was a small room, compacted. The wooded old floor creaked as I walked. I heard a low rasping and stopped in my tracks and examined the ventilation on the wall. The noise seemed to be coming from that spot, small muffled sounds. I skirted the wall in search of a door, and I found nothing. I walked around the room and examined the hall a couple of times, becoming frustrated.

Why would Victoria lead me this way?

The door past the maid's quarters displayed a collection of locks. I examined the door and looked down in search of the vents once again.

Voices! I could hear soft voices, whispers almost a lost in the wind. A soft and delicate melody reached my ears. In a mix of darkness and fear, somebody was singing softly, a delicate voice.

I had no reception on my phone, and I didn't want to leave. These people are imprisoned in the basement. Why?

They were not there when Ranger and I came to snoop. In fact, the house was empty.

I jumped at the sounds of steps coming my way.

"Ms. Plum," Mrs. Alonde called out. "What are you doing down here?"

"I got lost," I explained, feigning confusion. "I was hoping to find the kitchen and get a glass of water."

"This is not your house, Mrs. Plum," she reproached. "We have maids. If you want water, I prefer you ask for it. One of our employees will fetch a glass for you."

My jaw hurt from clenching it so tightly. Mrs. Alonde motioned over to the stairs, asking me to follow. I complied with irritation, hoping not to look suspicious. Amy gave me a questioning glare when we reached the living room.

"I got lost," I said defensively.

"I think we should go," Amy announced. "I have a doctor's appointment."

We said our goodbyes, with the promise of coming back for the book club meeting, and made our way out to the car.

"You look pale," Amy remarked once Laura was out of earshot.

"I heard voices coming from a locked basement," I whispered.

Amy's eyes widened, "are you sure?"

"Yes"

Amy inhaled deeply, closed her eyes, and rubbed her stomach.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "Do I need to call Joe?"

"I'm fine," she said. "I think."

-RS-

The core team, the feds, and the police officers listened carefully as I explained what happened at Mrs. Alonde's house. Samuel, Leticia's uncle, was the first one to get up and reach for the door.

"What are we waiting for?" He asked. "She could be in that house. We need to move."

"We could be putting a lot of people in danger," Samantha, the FBI agent specialized in human trafficking, reasoned.

"Are we just going to sit here then?"

"I sent a surveillance team to the site as soon as Stephanie called me," Ranger informed us. "We also notified the teams involved."

"Good, now that we have this information, the FBI will search the house," Samantha said, standing up. "Samuel, you're welcome to join us."

"What about us?" I questioned.

"Stephanie, you should stay here," the detective replied. "In case we don't find something at the house, we don't want to blow your cover. We have a few leads. This is just one of them. The rest of the team is welcomed to join us, though."

I was about to protest, but Ranger put a hand on my shoulder and shook his head.

"You stay here," he said. "I need to talk to you."

The people started spilling out of the room, and I turned to Ranger. He locked the door and pointed a remote to the camera in the room. Confused, I smiled shakily.

"You aren't going?"

"This is more important."

"What did I do now?"

He opened his arms and pulled me into a tight hug. Slowly, I melt into the embrace and took a deep breath. A few tears leaked through my closed eyelids. He then put his hands on my face and made me look at him.

"Babe, I need you to promise me that whatever happens, you will listen to me," he said, his voice serious.

"What are you saying?" I put my hands round his wrists, his hands still holding my head still. "Why are you saying this?"

"I have done this long enough to know that things don't necessarily become easier as the end approaches," he said, "and I need to keep Ricky and you safe."

"And who keeps you safe?" I asked him in annoyance. He smiled, his 100 watt smile, and kissed my forehead.

"I own this business, don't I?

I huffed. "What should we do until they come back?"

"We wait. This is a FBI investigation, we are only helping them out."

"I hope they find her," I said, "and no one gets hurt."

"Me too."

Ranger dropped his hands from my face and tried to comb through my hair with his fingers. My hair was too frizzy and wild for it to work, but I marveled at the sensation provided by his touch. In the mean time, I let my mind speak without censoring.

"Ranger…. Ahh… Carlos," I started.

"Babe"

"What's with the push and pull thing we have going on? I don't like it one bit."

He arched an eyebrow in question.

"C'mon, yesterday, at the club, and after the club, and before the club."

"Babe, I'm sorry, but I don't follow."

I sighed, contemplating if I should say anything at all. In this case, avoidance didn't seem like the best option. If I my feelings were going to get hurt, I rather they are hurt now than later. Besides, I went through enough arguments with Joe to know that avoiding our issues and ignoring them did nothing to strengthen our relationship.

"What are you thinking, Steph? I won't let you leave this room until you are honest with me."

"I just don't know how to act around you," I admitted. "First, you push me away, and the next minute you're kissing me against the wall, then we are fighting again, the next moment we are sleeping in the same bed…"

Ranger was about to interrupt, but I stopped him.

"I know the bed thing isn't your fault," I said, "but I asked you for forgiveness and you said you wanted to move forward and establish a relationship as parents. Then yesterday…."

"What about yesterday?"

"Yesterday, before the assignment, you told me that whatever happened at the club was only for work. It wouldn't mean anything," I explained, "but you kissed and touched me and wanted to do those things. You want… me."

"I did mean it," he said. "I do want you."

"I'm so confused," I grunted.

"Babe," he took my hands in his, turning them face up. He kissed both my palms and rubbed his thumbs over the spot where he kissed me. "I don't know how to act around you either. This is why I keep trying to keep a distance and it doesn't always work."

He smiled knowingly. Did he know something I didn't?

"Babe, we are inevitable."

"Are we?" I gasped, my heart suddenly decided on some exercise. I cleared my throat and composed myself.

"Are you Ranger?" I asked, this time hiding the surprise and excitement from my voice.

Ranger took my right hand on both of his and spread my fingers out and pressed my palm over his chest. I could feel the rapid beating of his heart.

We stayed silent for what seemed an eternity.

"Promise me that you'll listen to me," he said. "I need to know you are going to be safe."

It was too overwhelming to have him this close to me, in such a caring, and intimate moment. There was a knock on the door, and I quickly retracted my hand from his chest.

"Uhh…Ranger," came Tank's voice, a little hesitant. He stepped in and closed the door. "We have a situation. "Steph's house has been breached. There are casualties."

"Casualties?" Ranger asked, with his eyes fixed on me.

"They left a body," Tank replied turning to me. "I'm sorry, Stephanie."

The news knocked the air out of my lungs. I found myself being pushed towards and sat on a chair. There was another murder, the body found in my house. My new home has been corrupted. I could not ignore the message. I will be next.

**-RS-**

Ranger: Babe, we need to add a room for Ricky at my apartment.

Steph: (dismissively) Okay (continues reading)

Ranger: I'm also adding a third room for our second child.

Steph: Okay...whatever you... Wait…WHAT?

Ranger: (Smiles mischievously) I love you, Babe.

**Thank you for reading. Please, let me know what you think.**


	21. Toys in a Box

******Note:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I appreciate the encouragement. Also, thanks to JessicaRenae for editing this chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know if you liked it.

Thanks

**Chap 21. Toys in a Box**

"Who is it?"

"The police haven't made an identification," Tank answered and left the room without a parting word. I looked look up at Ranger, his eyes on me, warm and dark.

"Come with me," he said, grabbing my arms, pulling me up, and hoisting me up against him.

"Breathe," he whispered. I inhaled and exhale slowly, taking my time. He released me, putting his hand on the small of my back, and directing me outside.

We arrived to the crime scene ten minutes later. I didn't want to go inside, and he didn't force me. Eddie walked out of the house, his face solemn. He offered an embrace and I threw myself into the warm of his arms. Ranger took the time to go inside the house and check the scene.

"It's a good thing you weren't here," he said. "Ricky didn't need to see this."

"Who is it?" I managed.

"Preliminary identification is Margaret Kennel, but it's hard to say that for sure." He added, "she was a friend."

"I need to see this for myself," I mumbled. Eddie nodded and we walked side by side into the house. Ranger saw us coming from the foyer and tried to stop us.

"Babe, I don't want you to see this," he said, his voice reflecting concern. The words only made me want to see her more. I pushed past him but wasn't prepared for what awaited me in the living room. The room was bathed in blood, chopped body parts placed orderly in the middle of the living. The stench was suffocating. I started to feel nauseous. Ranger lifted me up and carried me outside, past the yellow tape, towards the car. He set me to my feet and held my hair out of my face while I vomited.

"Let's go home," he said, clicking on my seatbelt five minutes later.

-RS-

He took me to the seventh floor. Ranger's apartment seemed different somehow, but I couldn't pinpoint the change.

"Steph!" Sofia exclaimed. She came up to the seventh floor with Lester. "The house."

"I know," I replied. "You don't want to go there."

"Who was it?" She asked.

"The body found at the house was identified as Mrs. Margaret Kennel. She was Louis Kennel's mother. I've met her once." I remembered how she looked, protecting his son from an unknown threat. She'd probably died the same way.

"Any signs of Louis?" Lester asked, his hand reaching for Sofia's and intertwining with hers. She eyed their hands, but didn't pull away.

I smiled ruefully at the gesture. Sofia needed to let somebody to take care of her once in a while. Lester was still in pain from the wound in his stomach, but he kept it hidden well enough.

Tank came in minutes later with a report on the FBI investigation in Alonde's house.

"They didn't find anything," he said. "However, they found blood in the basement. The feds are conducting an investigation now."

"No, that's impossible!" I exclaimed. "How could they have moved them so quickly? I know I heard voices in the basement, somebody was singing."

I started pacing around the room in desperation. _Think, _Stephanie, _think. _

"The house was under surveillance by RangeMan all this time," I reasoned. "Did they see anyone leaving in the hours it took to assemble the meeting?"

"No," came Tank's intrigued answer. "They didn't."

"Okay," Sofia began, "how could someone move a group of people without being seen in an hour?

"Vince says the only thing moved out of the house were big storage boxes," Ranger replied.

"Boxes," Sofia and I said in unison.

"Ranger, boxes!"

_Alonde… Midnight & Night Buzz… The key is in the box._

"The key is in the box," I repeated the mental echo.

"Shit," Ranger made another call to Vince. "Vince, the boxes, when did they take them away?" A pause. "I'm on my way. Alert Samantha and Samuel."

"Ranger," I called out. "I want to go."

He nodded and took my hand. We were out of the building in no time. Ranger picked up the phone a second time and changed directions. It wasn't long before we stopped behind a black car. I recognized it as one of the cars belonging to the feds.

Ranger directed me to stay behind. The feds and the police surrounded a large white truck. The driver and the man next to him got out of the vehicle. The feds ran to the door, moving towards the big boxes. There was a moment of complete silence in my head.

Finally, a thin arm shot up from the box, and one of the feds reached out to lift a girl up. Slowly, they freed the children from their prison.

Ranger and I stood back, watching in an amazement and disbelief. I didn't notice when he took my hand in his, not until I felt the tight squeeze, reminding me of his presence.

"Babe, lets go," he said and led me to the ambulances now gathered. I searched for Leti's face among the girls, hoping she wasn't among them, but also hoping to find her.

"Stephanie," a voice called from the madness. "Stephanie."

I turned to find Victoria, the maid from Alonde's house. She was bruised and weak, her eyes tormented.

"Hey," I uttered, my voice losing strength. She took hold of my upper arm, pulling me closer, finding strength somewhere inside herself.

"I knew you could help us," she rasped. "Thank you."

"I didn't do anything," I smiled ruefully. "Victoria, have you seen this girl?"

I showed her the picture of Leticia that I carried in my packet.

"No, I've never seen her," she said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, now focus on getting better, okay?"

My hand flew to my face as I turned on my heels back to Ranger's car. He didn't question me. He turned on the engine and drove back to Haywood.

-RS-

"They were moving them around like furniture," I stated in the elevator back to seventh.

"Yes," he said without a follow up comment.

Sofia and Lester were huddled together on the couch. My son narrowed his eyes in concentration, staring at the couple beside him. He stood up from his place and planted himself between them.

Ranger lifted an eyebrow.

"Hey, buddy," he greeted. "Come give me a hug."

Ricky shook his head, his body leaning against Sofia. Ranger glanced my way, concern in his eyes.

"Does he have a crush on Sofia?" He whispered in my ear.

"Why do you ask?"

"Babe," said Ranger, "he's acting protective."

I looked back at Ricky, his head now on Sofia's shoulder. The little guy looked fearful. He hooked his little arm around Sofia's and held tight.

"I guess," I sighed. "It's a baby crush. I didn't think it would last this long."

Ranger nodded and moved further inside. Ricky stuck his head up for a better view of his father and I.

"Sofia," Ranger said, "would take Ricky down to the control room for a few minutes? I think they wanted your input on something. Lester will update you when you get back."

Sofia took the hint. She carried Ricky out of the room and left us three alone.

"They were stored in boxes," Lester repeated, once we explained, "like furniture?"

"Do you think this is what Leticia meant?" Ranger asked me.

"I don't know," I answered with all honesty. "It seems to fit. I wouldn't have thought about it otherwise."

Ranger nodded and looked at Lester.

"My son has a crush on your woman," he growled.

"She's not my woman," Lester huffed, "but I'd love her to be mine, and you can't stop me."

"Hey, that's my friend you're talking about," I complained defensively. "I don't think she'll appreciate being called anyone's woman."

Lester glared at Ranger and turned his head towards me.

"Well, if she allows it," he began, "then, it'll make me the happiest man in the planet."

It was Ranger's turn to look shock, his eyes widened, and his body became still. It was an unusual look for the man in black.

"Lester," he cautioned. "Sofia isn't the best person for you to play with, make sure you don't mess up."

I didn't know if Ranger was protecting Sofia or Lester. Lester threw his head back and ran his hand through his hair. I had never seen him so lost and restless.

"I need more pain killers," he claimed. "Steph, are you okay with all of this? Are you okay with Sofia and I? Perhaps, together?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" I questioned, shaking my head. "Although, I suggest you take it easy with Sofia. I don't think she's familiar with dating."

"She's just shy," Les smiled thoughtfully, as if remembering something.

Ranger rubbed his nose and shut his eyes in his own version of desperation.

_-RS-_

The rest of the day came very fast. Joe came by to ask me how I was doing. There wasn't much I could tell him. Sofia went back to the house for some clothes and toiletries. Lester invited her to stay with him until the crime scene was removed. I tried to not to worry about them. Sofia could take care of herself, and so did Lester.

"Stephanie, I know you want something simple," my mother insisted over the phone that night, after I told her my thoughts about canceling the party. "But this is Ricky's first birthday with his family. Don't you think he deserves it? We can rent out a place and invite some friends."

"Mom, I don't know if we should have this party," I confessed. "I thought we would have found Leticia by now. Maybe we should postpone it. What do you think?"

"Stephanie," she said. "I've never seen your father this excited over a birthday. He actually offered to help me cook, honey. I didn't know he knew how to cook! You just have to work on getting Leticia safe and sound, leave the party to me.

"Mom, not all of your neighbors are my friends," I managed during a lull. "I don't want Ricky's first birthday with the family to became the topic of discussion amongst the 'Burg population."

"Stephanie, can't you give an old woman her wish," she pleaded. "As a graduation gift?"

My mother was soon graduating from nursing school. This –she thought- allowed her to guilt people into doing her wish.

"Mom, I already picked my graduation gift for you," I said. "I don't think we'll run out of mouths to feed. Most of the Merry Men… I mean, RangeMan employees are attending the party."

"Stephanie," my mother whined.

"Mother." It was my turn to whine. "We also need to invite Ranger's family. Ranger and Ricky shared the same birthday."

"Why didn't you tell me? Stephanie, this might take more work than I thought." I thought of my mother putting on her glasses and scribbling sentences on a notepad. "How big is Carlos' family?"

"I don't know yet," I answered, biting my bottom lip. "I'm expecting anything from ten people to a whole neighborhood. Fortunately, Ranger's a private man. His mother is an interesting character."

"Maybe we should get in contact with Mrs. Manoso," she suggested. "I'm sure she'll love to plan something for her son in conjunction with Ricky's birthday."

"I'll talk to Ranger," I said, pausing.

"Why are you still calling him Ranger?" She asked.

"Thank you, mom," I said. "I'll call you soon."

My mom paused on the line before responding, "you're welcome, honey."

I put my head up to discover Ranger looking at me from his place behind the desk. A few minutes earlier, I was alone in his office, making notes on a notebook to finalize the details of Ricky and Ranger's birthday.

"I'll make sure my mother doesn't invite the whole neighborhood, Babe," he assured, his expression serious.

"How big is your family?"

Ranger's eyes reflected a little light of amusement. He leaned back on his chair, putting his arms on the armrest.

"I have four sisters and one brother. Celia is the oldest, followed by the triples, Sonia, Lauren, and Camille. Then, my brother, Leonardo, was born. We call him Leo."

"You're the baby," I stated.

"Yes," he said, "my mother would definitely think of me as the baby. Although, in many ways, I think of myself as the oldest."

I didn't doubt Ranger's analogy. The army, his childhood, his life as a Ranger put many obstacles and challenges on his path. He probably lived destruction, hunger, pain, death, grief and lost. He loved too, and he was hurt in return… by me. Was he happy?

"You met my mother," he continued. "She was a middle school teacher before she met my father. He was an air force lieutenant during the Vietnam War. He was the youngest lieutenant, place in duty by the end of the war. He was sent home before the war ended, due to an injury."

I nodded in understanding. He was sharing another piece of personal information with me. I never heard him speak so much about his origins or his family. On an impulse, I stood up and maneuvered by way towards him and embraced him.

"Thank you," I said and rushed out the room in search of my son.

-RS-

The next day, Ricky and I spent most of the day shopping. A dead woman was pulled out of my new house yesterday. I needed some retail therapy after that, even if it didn't come with long-term results.

"Mommy, are we going home?" my son asked after a few minutes of thoughtful silence.

"Not today," I replied softy. "There has been an accident at the house, Baby. We have to stay with daddy for a few days. We'll return once things are back in order."

I thought about Mrs. Kennel's body laid out on the floor. Although the crime scene was removed, I didn't want to take Ricky back to the house. I didn't want to associate his home to death and tragedy.

"Do you miss home?" I asked.

He shrugged, but I could tell he wanted to be back home. Ricky was too young and still needed some stability. Ranger and I needed to speak about establishing sleepovers and schedule them into Ricky's life.

"Daddy's apartment is home too, baby," I soothed. "Daddy loves you, and he misses you when you're not around."

My words seemed to lift his mood, but I still detected uncertainty in his eyes. I made a note to talk about it with Ranger once we got back home. Ricky has been moody lately, and I had attributed to Leti's disappearance.

We went to the party supply store, the bakery, the supermarket, and the shoe store for a new pair of shoes. We finally bought our hamster a new cage. It was at the bakery that I started feeling the unease.

"Tank, can you tell if I have a shadow?" I asked the big guy over the phone.

"I don't see anyone, Bomber," came his reply.

The day continued on in the same matter. In occasions, I had the eerie sensation of being watched. Around five, I dropped by my mother's house for dinner. Ricky went to the sofa and laid down on it. My father watched him with concerned eyes and looked my way. Ricky loves my father. He always runs to his arms when they see each other.

My mother sat on the sofa by Ricky's head and ran her fingers through his hair. She frowned and studied his temperature.

"I think he has a fever," she said. "I have to find my thermometer."

I copied her actions. My son's skin was hot with fever, his eyes tired.

"Oh baby, I'm so sorry," I lamented. "I didn't notice."

I placed wet kisses on his face, taking his hand in mine. Ricky curled up against me. My mother came back with the thermometer.

"He has a high fever, Stephanie," she said. "I think you should take him to the hospital. He could have an infection."

My nerves began to take hold me. My hands began to shake.

"Okay," I said, "dad?"

"I'm on it Pumpkin." I gave him my keys, and we were on the way in no time. My mother knew everybody on call. The young nurse at the nurses' station told her that she would rush our paperwork.

We were in the waiting room when Ranger, Tank, Bobby, and Cal appeared through the door. Cal and Bobby stood watch as Ranger and Tank made their way towards us. Ranger stood in front of me, examining Ricky on my lap, his eyebrow curved up in question. He ignored my father and my mother and waited for an answer to his unasked question.

"Ricky has a high fever," I said. He nodded and his eyes turned to Tank. The big guy exchanged a few words with the head nurse at the station and soon we were ushered into a private room in the hospital.

Cal glanced worriedly at Ricky before stationing himself at the door with Tank. Bobby, being the RangeMen medic, stayed with us.

"Mr. Manoso," a doctor came into the room and shook hands with Ranger. I recognized him as the doctor who took care of Lester.

"Let's see what we have here," he said, shaking hands with Ricky as well. He ushered us into an examining table and asked me to remove Ricky's shirt. After a few minutes, the doctor examined Ricky's ears and paused.

"I see the problem," he said warmly. "Ricky, you have an ear infection. It can easily be treated with the right medication."

The doctor prescribed medicine for the fever and ear drops, which he reminded us, "to apply it twice daily, religiously."

"We don't want the infection to spread," the doctor explained. "It could cost him his hearing, and this is something we can treat. I know you're not negligible parents, but many children have lost their hearing because their parents undermine how delicate and damaging an ear infection could be to a child."

We all nodded in understanding. Ranger took Ricky from my arms and held him against him. He caressed his back with tenderness in his touch. Ricky sough the warmth of his father's touch and nestled closer, laying his head on his shoulder.

We dropped my parents off before driving back to Haywood. My mother paused at the door and showered my son with kisses. My father ran his finger through his hair and promised he'd go visit him the next day.

Ranger, Ricky, and I continued in silence to Haywood. Ranger allowed Tank to drive and sat in the back still holding his sleeping son.

"You should have called me," he reproached.

"I wasn't thinking," I answered.

"Don't let it happen again," he warned, "or I'll have to double your security."

"I was too worried," I continued, "and reacted the way I always react. I forgot to call you because I've never had to call anybody else."

A guilty tear rolled down my face, "If my mother hadn't pointed out the fever, I wouldn't have noticed."

"Yes, you would," he retorted.

I shook my head in denial. The tears now streaming down my face. My head fell on the cushion behind me.

"I thought maybe he was worried about Leticia," I admitted. "Today, he asked me if we were going back home. I told him that his daddy's house is home too, but he seemed unconvinced."

Ranger didn't say anything for a few minutes.

"You're telling me," he said, "that you are a woman concerned with your son's mental health. So in tune with your son's mental processes that you picked up on a small sign, a child's call for comfort. Systematically, you narrowed down the possibilities for his distress and concluded on the most probable option, seeing that at the moment he had no sign of sickness, and no way to know if he was getting sick."

I heard a grunt of approval coming from the front seat. I guess Cal agreed with Ranger's assessment. I felt a heavy weight lift off my shoulders. My eyes widened with softness. The back of my neck tingled, as if Ranger himself was running a soothing hand down my back.

"You would have found out as soon as you felt the fever," he insisted. "The fact that your mother noticed it first is irrelevant."

"You're saying that I should cut myself some slack," I figured.

"Yes," he said, leaning forward to press a kiss on my forehead.

"Thanks"

"Seriously, call me next time," he said, his voice softer.

"You'll be the first to know," I replied and nuzzled my head into his shoulder.

-RS-

**Ranger:** Babe, we need to talk.

**Steph:** Why?

**Ranger:** We have to make some decisions.

**Steph:** No, why can't we kiss instead? Kissing is much more enjoyable.

**Ranger:** *thoughtfully* I agree, that's a great way to procrastinate. *they kiss* We should do it more often.

Thanks for reading... don't for get to review.


	22. The Interview

**********Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own anything. The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. However, I do own Sofia.**

******Note:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I appreciate the encouragement. Also, thanks to JessicaRenae for editing this chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know if you liked it.

Thanks

**Chapter 22. The Interview**

Louis F. Kennel sat on a metallic chair in the interrogation room. I watched from behind the glass. It was difficult to see him answer the questions, his eyes bloodshed and swollen.

Louis's mother was found dead in my living room. I never went back to the house to find out what happened. One time was enough.

I don't want to associate my son's home with death. I don't want to see her on my carpet every time I close my eyes, a message sent to me.

"When did you last speak to your mother?" Ranger asked him.

"Yesterday," he said. "We were staying in a motel. It wasn't the best place, but it was convenient. She was going to buy us something to eat."

Louis put his head in his hand. The boy appeared distraught. He blamed himself for his mother's death. Tears pricked my eyes. The boy lost both of his parents. Who would care for him now? He was barely seventeen.

"Sofia hacked into his computer and tracked his whereabouts last night," Tank explained, shaking his head, "that woman is dangerous."

"Can I talk to him?" I asked Tank. He was standing next to me with his arms crossed, an emotion on his face that only the past could have brought. He nodded and appeared on the other side of the glass a second later. Ranger signaled me to join him.

"Can I speak to him alone?" I asked when I entered the small, cold interrogation room. They nodded and left without a question.

"They think I killed my mother," the boy whimpered. "I would never… She, my mother…"

"Louis," I soothed. "Margaret loved you."

He started crying. I rubbed his back in an attempt to calm him. It took a while for him to compose himself.

"What would you like to know?" He asked.

"We want to know everything," I answered. "What happened to Leticia, Louis?"

He took a deep breath, gulped, and leaned back on the chair.

"Leti and Sarah attended the same school when they were younger. They lost contact when Sarah moved out the country. They found each other again last summer. A group of us wanted to spent some time in the Jersey Shore. My mother thought it was a good idea. After all, she wanted to meet my girlfriend. So, she volunteered to chaperone us for the weekend."

"Why did you live in New York?" I asked.

"I have a full scholarship to a good private school," he shrugged. "My mother thought I shouldn't ditch the opportunity. I was already taking college courses."

"She must have been very proud of you," I commented.

"I hope so," he answered, a haunted look on his face. "Anyways, that's how she reunited with Sarah. The only problem was that Sarah wasn't by herself. She was in the company of an older man."

"Would you recognize him if we showed you a picture?"

"Probably," he said. "Sarah told Leticia to meet her a club."

"Midnight?"

"Yes, how did you know? We'd both got fake Ids that summer. I knew it was wrong, but I didn't think we were actually going to them. We didn't even look old enough. The bouncer didn't allow me inside. She was determined to go in by herself. When she finally came back outside, she looked upset."

"Did she ever return?"

"No," he said. "It scared her to go back, but she told me about Sarah, about the business that went on in the club. I offered to play the messenger between them."

"I think we should get you out of this room," I suggested. I leaned forward and embraced him. The young man lost so much for something selfless, for love. "I'm sure Ranger has a place somewhere in this building where you can stay until all of this blows over."

"There's one more thing," he said hesitantly.

"What?"

"Leti has a gun," he said, his words hurried. "She asked me for a gun, and I… My father had one and I gave it to her. Leti wants to kill Alonde."

"Alonde hasn't found her yet," I stated in relief.

"No," he said. "Mom and I were helping her stay out of trouble. We spoke to a police officer the first time, but we didn't have proof. He said he was going to investigate, but later he said there was nothing to find."

"Was this in New York?"

"Yes"

I thought about the two corrupted officers mentioned Sofia's report.

"Do you have a name?"

Louis nodded. As in on cue, Ranger entered the room unannounced.

"Why don't I take you to your room?" he said. "You had enough for today, and there are a few rules you'll need to learn and follow if you choose to stay here."

-RS-

"Why don't we practice your self-defense, Bomber?" Tank asked me. I nodded.

"Things between Ranger and you seem to be getting better," he remarked. "We all feel better when Ranger's not so angry."

"It's a conflict of interest," I muttered. He smiled in response.

"I don't know if things are necessarily better," I mused. "Tank, do you think Ranger and I can happen?"

"You and Ranger already happened, Bomber," he answered.

Vince and Cal were at the center of the matt, sparring. Once they finished, Tank led me to the matt and gave me instructions.

The guy towered over me, his body threatening and strong. I managed to escape three of his attacks.

I started to sweat within minutes. My punches increased in numbers. I placed more energy into each attempt, but Tank was fast. He was merciless too, never holding back. I found myself on the mat several times. I became angrier at every passing minute.

Suddenly, the memories came rushing back. The man at Margaret's house, the bat she used to strike him, protecting her son at all cause. Now, he was alone.

I realized that Tank was doing this on purpose. He was pushing me to release my stress. My knuckles turned white for squeezing them so tight, but I didn't complain. On the contrary, it made me happy to know that he cared enough for me to trick me into venting my frustrations.

Ranger walked in two hours later with Ricky in his arms. They sat on a bench by the door, Ricky on his lap. My son is used to watching me sparring. He knew no harm was going to come of me. However, he still didn't like it. Ricky kept this eyes fixed on us, waiting for a reason to call out my name. Instead, Tank called for a break.

"Thank you," I panted. "We should do this more often."

"Anytime, Bomber."

"Louis?" I asked Ranger.

"I gave him the spare room on the fourth floor," he said.

"He probably shouldn't be alone," I remarked. "He's grieving."

"I instructed him to join the guys at five for dinner," Ranger answered. "He also has to help Vince to fill out a report. It should keep him occupied."

Ricky stuck his thumb in his mouth and walked in my direction with opened arms. It was a child's silent request for love. I picked him up and hugged him tightly.

"My beautiful, baby." I kissed him and squeezed him. "Let's find Tia Sofia."

-RS-

Sofia moved in Lester's apartment until the house is cleared. Lester is overexcited about the prospect. I wanted to check up on them to make sure the two survived the previous night.

"Ricky," she cooed, when she answered the door. My son opened his arms to her, and she took him. "How is he?"

"His temperature is better," I said, stepping into the foyer of Lester's apartment.

"How's Lester?" I inquired.

"Lester's fine," she smiled. "He's in the shower."

Sofia grabbed an apple from the kitchen and gave it to Ricky. Then, she found a protein bar and tossed it my way.

"How are things with you and Lester?" I dared ask.

"I'm not sure." Sofia's expression faltered. "Maybe we're going too fast."

"He seems to like you," I added, "if you think things are going too fast, you have to let him know."

She nodded and started taking pans from the cabinets in the kitchen. I took Ricky from her arms and watched as she prepared dinner. I realized that I've never been in Lester's apartment before, and took the time to take in my surroundings. I always wondered what it would look like, but the reality was entirely different from what I imagined.

Lester's apartment was classy, decorated in tones of blue, white, and gray. He had a small piano in the corner of his living room. Sofia's guitar propped against the table. Cables for a gaming system lay out on the carpet in front of a plasma television. The curtains were a light creamy color, and light enough to allow the sun shine into the living room. It provided the perfect view of the sunset.

He had pictures everywhere; pictures of RangeMan and people I imaged were his family. One picture brought my attention. It was a picture of Lester and his army buddies in a jungle type of place. Ranger was in the picture too, a younger version of him. My traced my finger over the image.

"Morning, Beautiful," Lester greeted from behind me. I turned to find him standing by the door of his bedroom. He was wearing a light green shirt and dark jeans.

"It always surprises me to see the Merry Men wear civilian clothing," I joked, smiling at him.

"Yes, I know I'm handsome," he replied. I rolled my eyes.

"How are you feeling, Lester?"

"The wound still hurts, but I heal fast," he assured, walking closer to us. "How's my nephew?"

"He's better."

We both looked at Ricky. Lester followed my son eyes', now focused on the cables on the carpet.

"Why don't we bond a little?" He asked my son. Les took two cushions from the sofa and threw them on the carpet. Then, he prepared the television and turned on the gaming system.

"I hope you have something he can play," I warned. "He's too young for…"

The image of the Super Mario Brothers appeared on the screen before I had time to finish my sentence. I lowered Ricky on the cushion on the floor and left them to play their game. Lester wanted to get into my son's good graces. Ricky wasn't too happy with Lester's relationship with his aunt.

Sofia was now cutting vegetables. I told her about Louis, but she was already aware of the news.

"I found him," she said in a low voice. "Ranger came to check up on Lester earlier and said he planed to question him."

"Could you see if he has any family?"

"Already done," she responded. "He has an aunt and a cousin, but they live in Texas. I went to the house, Steph. I saw how they left her body."

"Why did you go?"

"I had to," she answered simply. "I needed to know what kind of threat we have in our hands."

"And what do you think?"

"Steph, she died at the house," she whispered so that Ricky wouldn't hear. The idea brought a chill through my body.

"I don't understand, Ranger updated the security," I reasoned. "How did they get in the house?

"Ranger didn't tell you?" She asked and shook her head.

"The alarms went off one by one that night," she said. "Most of the RangeMan employees were undercover at the club or taking care of other accounts that night. Ranger reasoned you didn't need surveillance. He planned for you to stay at Haywood that night. The bastard played us, Steph."

"Sofia," I warned.

"The set up at Midnight was a distraction so they could disable all the security censors in the house. By the time RangerMan arrived, everything looked normal. After the third false alarm, they decided that there was an issue with your system and that someone would be able to fix it the next day. The locks and windows still worked. The guys believe someone took that time to intercept the video feed from across the street and break into your house."

My head was spinning. Katherine, the girl at the club, died in vain. She was a chess piece, a pawn.

I walked to the closest chair and sank into it. My head was starting to throb. Sofia handed me a glass of water, which I drank with relish.

"Come have something to eat," she offered.

"I don't know if I can eat," I responded.

"Please, eat something," she urged. "You lost weight, and you should eat to keep your energy. I'll invite Ranger."

Sofia and Lester persuaded me into eating with them. Ranger walked in a few minutes later, his expression blank. He accepted Sofia's offer for my sake. He has Ella, and I'm sure she prepared something for him. And yet, he stayed for me. Together, we coaxed Ricky into eating some food as well.

"I should go down to five," I announced later. "I want to take a look at the reports we got back from the feds and the police. They interviewed the girls from the night club."

"Would you like me to keep an eye on Ricky?" Sofia asked me.

"If it's alright with Lester," I said. Les quickly nodded. Ranger took my hands in his and walked me down to the fifth floor.

-RS-

**Leticia's POV**

Today he saw me, his snake eyes found me watching him, and he grinned. The bastard grinned. Anger rampaged through my body like fire. I couldn't reach the gun in my backpack. I didn't have time to draw it and shoot, shoot him right between the eyes. We stared into each other's eyes with pure hatred reflected in them.

I did not give in. He was not going to intimate me. Alonde needed to know that I did not fear him. I'm not a weakling. He can't manipulate me, or play mind games, or kill my spirit.

If I die, then I'll die with dignity, but my spirit will not die. He'll know that I was whole even in my death. I might be wounded physically and emotionally, but I'm not done.

It took minutes for me to register that he sent his bodyguards after me. Adrenaline ran through my veins. I started running, finding safety in the darkness of the night. They couldn't follow me without attracting too much attention in the crowded streets.

My body ached. I haven't showered in days. The dirt on my skin made me feel icky. I missed home, my mother and father. Tears pooled in my eyes, and I squeezed them away. My father is gone. It doesn't matter what I do, he won't come back to me. And yet, I still desired revenge. I wanted Alonde to suffer, the way he made me suffer.

I can still feel his hands on my skin, pinning me down, suffocating me. Argh… I could still see my father's face when he found out, the blood on his shirt, and his eyes.

People moved out of my way. I ran a couple blocks until I lost them. I walk for miles before I reached an alley. It was dark and dirty, but it would suffice for the night.

I found a corner behind a trash bin good enough to keep me safe and hidden from the dangers of the night. I placed my backpack behind my back and rested my body against it for comfort. My eyelids became heavy within minutes. When I woke up minutes again, it was to the sound of rats competing for space. Only, it wasn't a rat. It was someone's shoe stepping on a pile of leaves.

-RS-

**Steph's POV**

I prepared for bed after spending a few hours reading reports. The girls' accounts were difficult to digest. I will not sleep well until we find Leticia. What if they find her before we do? What if she's lost forever?

I left Ricky napping in bed, before getting in the shower. I didn't see Ricky when I came back in the room. I dressed quickly and headed to the living room. I didn't see him there or in the kitchen. Panic started to creep up my spine.

"Ricky," I called out but got no response. "Baby, where are you?"

I knocked on the door of Ranger's home office. Maybe he had gone there when he woke up. Ranger opened the door slowly.

"He's sleeping, Babe," he whispered, opening the door wider. A gasp escaped my lips at the sight of the room.

"When did this happen?" I inquired. Ranger's office was not an office any longer. It was a bedroom, a bedroom for a child. There was a bed against the wall, dressed in a batman themed quilt. Batman's help sign was proudly displayed on the back wall. The ceiling had small bright stars that shined in the dim light. The walls were a lovely blue, color to accommodate the paintings of space on the walls.

My eyes found objects from our house too. Ricky's pictures stood proudly on the top shelf of a bookshelf with his favorite books. The windows had curtains and painted designs. He had a desk and space. The room had so much space. I glanced back at the batman sheets. My son slept on his new bed, oblivious to the world.

"It's not done yet," Ranger said. "They have to come tomorrow to do the rest. They didn't have a lot of time today.

"When did they…" I began, disbelief in my voice.

"This morning," he said. "You were at Alonde's house."

"Thank you," I said hoarsely, tears leaking from my eyes. "This is perfect for him."

"Let's go to sleep, Babe," he offered, placing soothing hand on my back.

"Are you joining me?" I wondered, knowing he gave the extra room on the fourth floor to Louis.

"Only if you invite me," came his serene reply.

"Of course," I breathed. Then, without thinking about it too much, I didn't want my courage to leave. I kissed him fully on his lips.

-RS-

Ranger: Babe, what are you doing?

Steph: I'm trying to cuddle with you.

Ranger: Okay (they cuddle)

Ranger: This is nice.

Steph: (sleepily) I love you.


	23. More Secrets

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own anything. The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. However, I do own Sofia.**

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I appreciate the encouragement. As I get closer to the end of the story, I find it more difficult to complete, but I'm also quite exciting about finishing it. Thanks to JessicaRenae for editing this chapter.

Thanks

**Chap. 23 -More Secrets**

**Leticia POV**

"You should stop doing that."

"Doing what?" I asked the girl next to me, a young, brunette girl, with soft features.

"Defying him," she whimpered. "He likes it. I think he gets off on it."

I stared at the wall, gathering my thoughts into an order that I could understand. Alonde liked it when I fought back, when I showed strength. Was he obsessed with me?

In despite of the warnings, I never gave up on getting Sarah out of the system and to a normal life once again. I defied them several times, and I certainly refused to show him my broken spirit.

"What's your name?"

"Beverly," she whispered.

"It's a beautiful name," I said. "Beverly, we're going to get out of here. I promise."

**Steph's POV**

"Are you joining me?" I wondered, knowing he gave away the extra room on the fourth floor to Louis.

"Only if you invite me," came his serene reply.

"Of course," I breathed. Then, without thinking about it too much, I kissed him fully on his lips.

He didn't break away at first, but he didn't kiss me back either. I looked up at him to find his eyes sad and his expression thoughtful. A trickle of fear ran down my spine. Will he reject me again? Is this the end?

"I need a shower," he muttered, taking a step back, disappearing into the bathroom in his bedroom.

In resolute, I walked into the bedroom and stripped. The cold air making goose bumps prickled my skin. I reviewed all the ideas that I've read in magazines or seen in movies over the years. I couldn't decide exactly how one would go about seducing Carlos Manoso. Should I wear sexy lingerie? I decided to stay nude, since clothes only delay the process. I sprayed on some perfume, tussled up my hair, and tried to push away all my insecurities. I looked at the stretch marks on my body and chanted, "I am a tigress and I earned my stripes."

I lay on the bed and tried to find a seductive position, but everything made me feel ridiculous. I put my hand on my hips, like the Victoria Secret models, but it felt awkward. I stretched my body on the mattress, and laid my head the way I've seen them do on the catalogs. After five minutes, the position became tiresome. I piled up the pillows and scooted to the edge of the mattress, to dangle one leg on the side of the bed, leaving complete and total access to my body. It turns out the position wasn't as flattering as I thought. I quickly tried to maneuver into another suitable position. However, I must have not calculated how close I was to the end of the bed because I ended up crashing, face down, to the floor.

Instantly, I heard a muffled laugh coming from above me.

"Babe, are you alright?" He asked, concern and laugher in his voice. I wiggled and found a pillow to cover my head. "Babe?"

"I'm such a fool!" I cried.

"Babe?" Ranger voice took another tone. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"What were you doing?"

"Didn't you see? I was trying to seduce you," I admitted shamefully as I tried to keep my tears in check.

"Babe," he chuckled, and reached for my arm to help me up. I jerked away from his touch.

"Don't. Babe. Me," I complained. "You're laughing at me."

He laughed quietly behind me. I could feel his body shaking; vibrating from his laughter as his hands tenderly kneaded my back muscles.

"You don't have to seduce me, Babe," he said. "Every time you look at me I start to question my sanity."

"You don't mean it," I accused, but my inner diva couldn't help stop the smile as my mind tried to find the truth in his words. His hands wandered down my body, warming me with his touch. I became still, waiting for his next touch. Ranger placed tender kisses down my back as his hands explored my body. I moaned at his touch, maybe even purred. My mind was in full alert mode due to the sensation overload.

Scrambling up, I met his eyes. He brought his face to mine and kissed me tenderly. I deepened the kiss, my body responding to his light touches, his rough hands cupping my glutes. He picked me up and sat on the bed with me straddling him. The only barrier between us was his sweatpants. I explored his muscled chest with my lips and my hands. Ranger's mouth moved to my neck.

"Yes," my body screamed. This is it. Finally, we were taking another step. He trusts me. I took these actions as a sign that we gained what we had lost. I wanted him. I wanted this moment so badly. The world around me disappeared for a moment. My breath became labored and my kisses urgent. I could hear a strange ringing in my ears.

He pulled away from me to look into my eyes, trapping my head between his hands. I closed my eyes for a second, to enjoy the flavor of his lips on my lips. The ringing continued.

"We should take that call," he said softly.

"Uhm?" I opened my eyes to see him smiling at me. I barely registered that the ringing wasn't only in my head. It was Ranger's phone.

"Do you have to?" I asked.

"It could be important," he reasoned, giving me another heart melting kiss. He lifted me up and placed me gently back on the bed. He picked up the phone, his back to me.

"Report," he barked into receiver, his expression stoic, but the lines in his eyes betrayed him. Frustrated I wanted to scream at him for answering the phone.

"We'll be there in ten."

"We have to go," he told me, tossing me a shirt with matching sweatpants. In turn, I tried to even out my breath.

"What's wrong?"

"Alonde has Leticia," he answered. "We need to move fast before he kills her."

"I feared this was going to happen." I hurried into my clothes and brushed hair. Ranger was already opening the door to Ella. The sweet-natured woman gave us a rueful smile and waved us out of the apartment.

"Go," she said. "Do your jobs."

"Samuel is about to chew someone's head off," Ranger explained once in the elevator. "You are the only one who can calm him down. I'd like you to stay with him until all of this is done and over with."

"Are you expecting me to sit around and do nothing while you guys do all the work?" He couldn't be doing this to me. Out of all people, Ranger never tried to cut my wings. I tasered one of his men the first time he locked me up in the building. This time I didn't know what I was capable of doing.

Ranger put his hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes. "Do you remember what I told you about listening to me when things got dangerous?"

I nodded reluctantly. He took my mouth with his in response, his hands gentle on my face.

"Don't go caveman on me all of a sudden," I demanded. "You know I've been on this case for over a month. Leticia needs me the most, Ranger!"

"I'm being overprotective," he said, "not questioning your abilities. And stop calling me Ranger. It's going to get you in trouble."

The last sentence was said in a low voice, almost seductive.

"No, shit, and you are proud of it." The elevator's doors opened at the end of my statement. I saw something flicker through his eyes, it was small, a flash of something. "You know something I don't know. You would never do this to me unless you knew something."

Ranger stepped out to the fifth door's control room with me following behind him. The room was in chaos, something unusual for such a controlled work environment.

Tank and Samantha stood side-by-side examining a digital evidence board. Samantha turned to me when she saw me.

"Stephanie," she said, her voice uneven. "Do you recognize any of these faces?"

I examined the pictures on the screen, someone of then taken from a distance, others were mug shots. My eyes briefly scanned each picture before finding the one. The memories rushed quickly in front of my eyes, a tall man, with menacing eyes staring at me like prey. Margaret's body chopped and laid out neatly in the living room. My car burned up into ashes.

"He wants… me." The realization came to my mind and released a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Samantha selected the picture from the others.

"This is Alonde. He's also known as the Chameleon. He runs a large trafficking business, but due to his brilliance in keeping things low-key, he's often ignored as a suspect."

"But what makes you think it's him this time?" I asked, because my heart hoped he wasn't. If I'm the one who urged Alonde to pursue and kidnap Leticia to get to me, then I wouldn't forgive myself.

"He fits the profile," she answered. "This man got away with a couple of abuse charges during his early twenties. At the time, he targeted older women. In fact, he had a fetish for strong women. He likes to see them crumple under his abuse. All the women he has targeted personally are all women with a certain level of power or emotional strength. He would find Leticia's call for vengeance enticing.

My brain adsorbed Samantha's words, focusing on the last sentence. She was omitting something. Alonde…Matta… He was also targeting me. I made myself a target by defying him. Burning my car was a test of my character and strength.

"Steph," Ranger's voice in my ear. I glanced up at him, my eyes betraying my emotions.

"This is why you want to keep me away." He didn't deny the accusation. "Why didn't you tell me?"

There was hurt in my voice, although I tried to keep it even. Why should I be upset? It's not like I haven't done the same thing to him. I deceived him in a deep level by keeping his son's existence a secret. I deserved to be treated this way. All hopes of having regained our trust in each other crumpled into pieces.

One day, I thought, one he will trust me again; we won't think about the past again. He wrapped his hand around my wrist and pulled me into his office. My frustration turned to anger.

"Stop it! Ranger, I'm not a child. I understand, and I can take care of myself."

"Do. Not. Call. Me. Ranger." His voice ran over my like ice water. He was angry. I crossed my arms over my chest and tried not to look like a petulant little girl. Ranger moved behind his desk and retrieved a package from a locked drawer.

"What's that?" I asked.

"This is the reason I didn't want you to know," he said. "I know you'll be angry, but you already had enough on your plate. I wanted to protect you."

"By keeping it a secret?"

"I wanted to tell you when the time was right," he said defensively.

He tossed the folder on his desk, towards me. I picked it up attentively, afraid of what I might discover.

-RS-

_Ms. Plum,_

_Today, I woke to see your face on my morning news. May I say that I love those wild curls? I love the way your hair dances with the wind, and your lovely eyes. I always liked my women strong and cunning. Do you think you outrank me?_

_One day, I will see you beg under my touch and marvel at the way I make you shiver in fear. I saw it in your eyes the night of our first encounter, the fear and pain in your eyes… It excited me._

_Perhaps, it is time to persuade you into a night with me… or more than one. It wouldn't be wise to reject my offer. If you come to me, I promise the pain will only be physical and unwelcome._

I leafed through the papers in a rush. The letter came with pictures of my family, my crazy mom, my silent father, my sister, of Ranger… and my son. The son of a bitch put a target on my son. I slammed pictures on the tables and these scattered on the floor. My body vibrated with rage, and I kicked against the desk.

Ranger stood against me from behind, his arms wrapping me into a warm blanket, my body shivering. I curled up against him, angry tears leaking from my eyes.

"Stephanie." Sofia's concerned voice came from the door. I had enough sense to compose myself a little, before letting Ranger open the door. She dashed inside and towards me, her eyes finding Ranger's.

"She read the letter," he explained, and her expression changed.

"You knew?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes," she admitted. "I'm not proud of it, but Ranger and I agreed that letting you go about normally, without changes in your behavior, would be to your advantage. Alonde sent his letter with the purpose of terrorizing you."

"My parents?"

"Ranger increased your parents' security. We tried to keep things normal, knowing that it would have infuriated Alonde and make him sloppy."

Sofia's reasoning made sense. If I had known earlier, I would have acted defensively and taken precautions. It would have made Alonde extremely happy to see me drown in fear from his threat. But that didn't mean that I like being kept in the dark.

"Okay," I said, before looking in their eyes. "Do not keep secrets from me, ever again."

Sofia handed me a folder she had carried under her arm. A picture of a naked Leticia slipped and landed in front of me, right on my foot. I stared at it, eyes wide.

"How's Samuel?" Ranger asked.

"In the lobby," Sofia said, "pacing. Should we wake up Kennel?"

"No," I answered before Ranger could say anything. "He needs to rest, give him a few hours."

Sofia's lip curved slightly. "Are you ready, Steph?"

"Yes," I said. "We are going to make him sloppy, and I'm going to pose as bait."

"Babe."

**-RS-**

Ranger: Babe, I think we need a vacation.

Steph: Uh, I want a sabbatical.

Ricky: Group hug! (They hug)

Lester: (joins in) Look at us, hugging. This is great.


	24. Purpose

**Disclaimer: The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. ****I don't own anything. **

My thoughts are with everyone in Boston. I hope everyone is alright. Also, thanks to everyone for the reviews and comments. Thanks to JessicaRenae for editing this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

Thanks

**Chap. 24 -Purpose**

Ranger adjusted my Kevlar vest and helped into a shirt. He took my face between his hands and kissed me deeply. It was a sweet and slow, sending sensations through my body.

"Don't get shot," he said, his smile mirroring mine.

"Are you stealing my line?" I asked, accusation in my voice. He gave me another kiss in return. This time I nipped his bottom lip, his pupils dilated.

"Don't go crazy," I teased, stepping back and leaving him hungry for touch. If everything turned out as expected, Alonde will be thirsting for my blood soon. Then, Ranger and I will be able to focus on our relationship. We had a lot to discuss.

"You're nervous." It was a statement from Ranger.

"A little," I admitted. "It's normal. Samuel?"

"He's waiting for you downstairs."

Five minutes later, I found him in the lobby, pacing. Samuel had dark, half-circles under his eyes. He looked slimmer and extremely tired. Nonetheless, he pulled me into a strong embrace and kissed my forehead. My heart ached with sympathy for him. He'd lost his brother. Now Samuel faced the tragic fact that he might lose his last connection to his brother, his niece. I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it.

"Stephanie, I…" he paused. "Thank you."

These words took me by surprise. If I needed a time to use the word 'discombobulated,' then this was the time.

"What?"

"You don't have to say anything," he cut me off, putting a finger on my lips to seal them. "Whatever happens, I want to thank you."

He had no reason to thank me. I had done so little to recover his niece. If anything, I felt ashamed.

"You can thank me when she's home," I said. "How are you holding up?"

"My patience is running thin." He ran a hand through his hair, ending with a shaggy sort of look. I reached in my pocket and pulled out my cellphone.

"Take my phone," I said. "It will be easier to track any calls if it stays in the building. We don't want to make Alonde suspicious. The guys will redirect any incoming calls to me on a third line."

With a slight nod from Ranger, I realized it was time for me to go. He guided me to the Turbo, his eyes intense and pensive. He put a hand on my waist, leaned forward and kissed me once again. This time, he didn't care about the curious eyes watching us and filled the kiss with all the emotions running through his veins.

I got in the car and drove out of the garage, into the busy streets. The Merry Men agreed that ignoring Alonde's attempt to alarm me would only infuriate him and challenging him. In turn, it would make him more interested in me. I put on my poker face and did what I came to do, finish the job.

"Good morning," I sang when I entered the bonds office. Lula and Connie turned to me in unison.

"There you are, girl," Lula said, taking the coffee and the bag of pastries from my hands.

"Are you greeting me or the coffee?" I asked, a little amused.

"If there's no Stephanie, then there's no coffee or pastries," Connie replied. "How are you doing? Got any receipts for me?"

I put three receipts on her desk and grabbed the new files for inspection. We divided the sugary goods and sat together to catch up on the latest gossip.

"Anything new?" I inquired.

"Not since Alonde's discovery," Connie huffed, "that was a shock. Amy's been following the story closely. Looks like it's bigger than everybody thought."

Lula updated me on her latest antics. After an hour with the girls, I decided to head out. I cruised around the town for a while, keeping my eyes open for any signs of a tail. At last, I decided to pay a visit to Amy. She was working in her garden when I arrived.

"I don't think you should be doing that," I said, concern with the way she was kneeling on the ground.

"Mrs. Morelli" –inhale- "thinks," –exhale-, "I'm neglecting the garden. Joey's grand-mama thinks, I don't care."

"Amy, you're eight and a half months pregnant," I scolded, walking over and taking the tools from her hands. I took a good look at how she held herself before looking her in the eyes.

"I'm calling Morelli," I said.

"No," she snapped. "I can handle his mother and grandmother alone. I'm just hormonal and sleep deprived. This baby doesn't stop kicking. He or she keeps me awake all night long, dancing on my bladder."

"This is just the beginning," I huffed. She groaned.

"Have you heard any news about Alonde?" I asked, my mood improving by the second.

"The officials have wrapped the house in yellow tape. The women at the book club can't believe what happened. Nobody expected such scandal." Amy swiped at her knees, smearing the dirt on her calves.

I swung my head up in realization.

"Could I speak to the ladies in the book club?"

"I can introduce you," she said, getting excited. "It would get me away from his house before Mrs. Morelli and company arrive."

"You realize the bastard's put a target on my head," I explained. "I don't want to put you in danger."

She paused, deep in thought for a moment. Amy's eyes shined with mischief. "May I offer you something to drink? Coffee? Tea? I have some treats in the kitchen."

A little suspicious, but trusting her judgment, I accepted the invitation. I waited in the living room for about ten minutes. The moment she placed the drinks of the coffee table the doorbell rang, and six members of the infamous book club burst through the door. I gave her a disapproving glance. She shrugged and bestowed an easy smile.

We talked for a while. The ladies introduced themselves and proceed to tell me their thoughts about the Alonde's controversy. Mrs. Alonde seemed like "the perfect wife." It was "disappointing." They also remarked about their wealth. One of the girls, Sasha, recalled Mrs. Alonde speaking about a house over by the shore.

"Alonde has a house by the shore?" I questioned. The woman nodded, her companions' nods confirmed her statement. After excusing myself from the group, I made a quick call to Ranger.

"I didn't see anything about a house by the shore." Ranger barked out orders to someone on the other line. There was silence followed by sounds of ruffling.

"There's nothing about a beach house in the report," he said, "not even a house close to the beach."

I filled him in on the news the ladies had shared. Amy walked into the kitchen just then. She set the cups on the table, an unspoken question on her face. The moment was stopped short as Amy cringed and placed her hand on her stomach. A gush of water ran down her legs. We stared at each other with shared surprise.

"I can't go into labor now," she whined. "My due day is in two weeks. I have a deadline for tomorrow, and I'm not done with that garden!"

"Well, it looks like your baby made the decision for you," I said, refocusing her thoughts. "You're going to have a baby." Amy's eyes lit up a little.

"Do you think I have time to shave my legs?" She asked.

"You might have to hold on that," I said, moving with her towards the exit. The women's eyes turned towards, startled. In unison, they all stood up to help.

"Amy, get in my car," I ordered. She didn't protest and gave me directions to get her overnight bag. I rang Joe on my way down the stairs.

"I'm at your house," I said calmly. "Amy's in labor, we're on our way to the hospital."

There was a stretch of silence on the line.

"Joe? Are you there? Hello?"

"I'll meet you there," he said, and hung up. Then, I rang Ranger at the Merry Men tower.

"Amy's in labor," I panted. "On my way to the hospital."

We got to the emergency room in no time. A nurse came in with a wheelchair and asked us a bunch of questions in a monotone voice. Amy was given a room, and the nurse started timing contraction. The doctor claimed there was no time for the epidural. Amy's faced turn blue, her anger palpable. She started throwing out insults the moment Joe talked through the door.

"Good luck," I said, patting his shoulder. He nodded his thanks and took his place by his wife's side. Ranger was standing outside with a small team. I walked straight into his arms.

"We're next," he whispered in my ear. I narrowed my eyes and placed my hands on his torso.

"You are joking, right?"

The corners of his mouth tucked up, revealing a blinding half-smile.

"Ricky?"

"At Haywood."

Joe's family arrived moments later. We waited patiently for about three hours until the nurse came out and announced that both, mother and daughter were healthy. We stayed long enough to see the baby. She was a small, with a head full of hair. Joe carried her in his arms securely, watching her with love and adoration, like she was the most precious thing he'd ever seen.

Ranger hands gripped harder on my waist. I was in trouble, trouble of massive portions. He was convinced that I "owed" him a baby, for not allowing him to witness the nine months of development of his son.

I kissed his cheek with a sigh, and headed out to continue looking for Alonde.

-RS-

"We found the house," Ranger informed me on the way out. "Samantha sent a team to investigate. It went completely under the radar. Alonde has more than twenty identities."

"Can we go see it?"

My phone rang, and I picked it up without moving my eyes from Ranger.

"Hello?"

"Getting information about me, Ms. Plum?" The voice was deep and distorted. "You would do well to take my advice. I'm still waiting."

"Who's this?"

"Don't act stupid. It doesn't become you." The voice said.

"Where's Leticia?"

"Awe, it seems we have equal interest," he drawled. "We'll keep in touch Ms. Plum."

The phone went dead.

"Take me to Alonde's old house. I need to make some noise."

-RS-

**Leticia's POV**

A woman pushed me through the corridor with force. I could hear the sound of the waves in the distance, accompanied with low moans of pain coming from closed doors.

I was naked. They kept us that way, thinking it would make us break easier and cry.

He wanted me to break, both physically and mentally. At this point, I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of watching me crumble. Soon, they will be coming for us. At least, I hope.

I've known Stephanie Plum long enough to know that she never gives up, and she always get's what she wants. Alonde will die.

I was pushed into a dark, damp room. I made out faint voices in the dark, weak voices. Someone grabbed my ankle, and I tumbled to the floor with a huff.

"Water?" The girl on my right almost pleaded.

"No," I breathed, "just pussy and tits." That's what we were to them, just pussy and tits. The people who helped keep us captive, they knew it to, but realized it was safer for them to just ignore it. The people who demanded it, they didn't care where we were from or how we got here. We're just flesh, pussy and tits for their unlimited enjoyment.

**-RS-**

Ranger: Babe

Steph: What?

Ranger: I love you.


	25. She Wolf

**Disclaimer: The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. ****I don't own anything.**

Thanks to JessicaRenae for editing this chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

Thanks

**Chap. 25 – She Wolf**

"I need paint," I added with as a sudden blast of inspiration ran through my brain. Ranger glanced my way, eyes calculating, attempting to figure out what I was up to. We made our way to a hardware local store and bought variety of fluorescent paint. Ranger was sullen, disapproval clearly written on his face.

The house stood tall and haunting. We made it through the iron gates and I looked at my blank canvas for a few moments before picking up a red paint can.

I HEARD YOUR CALL. DOUCHEBAG, I'M NOT INTERESTED!

Ranger swallowed his burst of amusement. I glared, seething a little.

"Well, he's not a man, he's a monster," I replied. "He's a cowardly monster, who preys on the innocent and defenseless. If there's any other person who deserves it, that's him."

I got into the driver's seat, clicked on the seat belt, and drove us to Pasty Pastry. The place was crowded for some weird reason that day. Ranger and I walked in holding hands. The girl behind the counter lifted an eyebrow at our entrance. I pointed excitedly at everything I wanted before adding some healthy dark chocolate cake for Ranger. I picked a piece of it with my fingers and fed it to him. The joy in his face was radiant and unexpected, sending a jolt of electricity down my spine. There was clear amusement in his eyes. I looked around and realized that the eyes of everyone in the room focused on us, only us. My cheeks heated before I saw my scarlet blushed face reflected in the display window. Our actions were a blatant display of love, and I had forgotten myself in the moment.

Ranger snaked his hands around my waist. The woman behind the counter smiled and packed up our treats. I hurried out of the store, Ranger following behind me.

"Babe."

"Do you know what this means? The whole town is going to talk, spread rumors. They're going to think we are sleeping together. Again." I gasped and slapped my forehead. "Oh God."

The Cuban hotness next to me trapped my body between his and the car. He took hold of my arms, taking the bag from my hand. He leaned forward, pushing my body against his own. The passionate kiss he planted on my lips was delicious, sinful, breath-taking. We broke the kiss to find that everyone walked out of the store, people had gathered around us - Rangemen included - to take pictures of us with their phones.

I ducked out of Ranger's arms and ran to the driver's seat. Ranger took the seat next to me, and I drove out of the parking lot. He opened the box of sorted cupcakes and finished eating the one I had picked out for him earlier. This time his silence was deafening, but broken a few minutes later by the ringing of his cell phone. He glanced at the screen with a blank expression.

"What?" I asked, bringing the car to a halt before a curve. He gave me the phone. There on the screen was a picture of us in the bakery, with me feeding him cake with my fingers, juxtaposed with the picture of us kissing against the car. The tagline read:

_"Trenton's Bombshell Bounty Hunter finds Time for Love"_

The phone chimed once again, another link appearing on the screen. It was a text from Lester. This time the tagline made me even more frustrated and angry.

_"Trenton's Bounty Hunter back in Sinful Relationship."_

My eyes narrowed as I stared at him. He smiled, amusement clearly displayed across his face.

"This is not funny," I said. My phone started ringing this time. The number appeared as "unknown." Ranger answered, feeding the call through the car's bluetooth.

"The first little pig built his house out of straw because it was the easiest thing to do," he said, his voice vibrating with anger. "Listen to me, I _**will **_have you, even if he has to die. You _**will **_come willingly to me, or you'll fear me for the rest of your life. Ask yourself, are you in control or am I?"

He hung up. Ranger and I shared a glance.

"I just got a few ideas about what to do to derail him," he informed me.

"Really?"

"Stephanie Plum, would you go out on a date with me?" He extended his hand towards to me.

"Are you serious?"

We switch seats. Ranger drove us to Haywood to change our clothes. I managed to tame my hair into an elegant twist, and changed my shoes to strappy heels. Ranger later drove to an expensive restaurant. The discarded our bulletproof vest and sneakers, leaving them in the back seat of the car. Our clothing (t-shirts and jeans) was completely out-of-place, but being early afternoon, the outfit wasn't totally inappropriate. It was a clear message to Alonde. It said, "look at me, now come get me."

The chef himself came to greet us at the door.

"Mr. Manoso, it's a pleasure to see you at my establishment," the man greeted. "You must be Ms. Stephanie Plum."

Chef Lonzo showed us to the best table in the room. We sat, side by side, looking through the menu. Ranger placed a hand around my waist and pulled me off my seat and on his lap in no time.

"Ranger," I gasped. He bit my bottom lip in response.

"Call me Ranger again, and you don't be able to walk for weeks," he rasped into my ear causing my breath catch in my throat.

"Hey!"

He nipped my ear in return. I rolled my eyes, my body relaxing against him. The waiter came out with complimentary dishes for us to try.

"Do you really think this is going to work?" I whispered in his ear.

"Only one way to know," he said.

The food was delicious, possibly out of this world good. We took turns feeding each other, talking about family, and friends.

"Do you think Sofia and Lester will end up together?" I asked when our conversation came to a lull.

"You know Sofia better than I do," he responded. "At this point, I think it's pretty much her choice."

"Our baby has a crush on her," I reminded him, smiling at the thought. My son had a soft spot for his adoptive aunt. They had gotten closer over the years as she often filled the role of aunt and babysitter for him.

"Let's hope this thing she has with Lester doesn't leave him heart-broken," he added. I didn't know what to say in response.

"Do you think he's serious about her?" My hands rested on his shoulders. Ranger provided a solemn nod. I thought about my friends for a minute.

"I'm so happy for Joe," I confessed, changing the topic. "He is so happy with his new girl. I can't wait until she's old enough to date. He's going to pull out his hair."

"I thought you were his friend," Ranger replied with a slight smile.

"And you!" I said, poking his chest with my finger. "We need to talk about us. We also need to discuss this baby issue. Ranger, I thought you didn't want children." My tone dropped, my voice dripped with melancholy, but didn't take my eyes away from him. This was not a subject I was comfortable discussing, but it was a needed conversation. It was the reason I left this town.

"I'm a man," he said, "so I can be an idiot sometimes."

Ranger's phone rang again, startling me. He shared a short conversation with the person on the line.

"They found some interesting things at the beach house," Ranger announced. "The witness confirmed seeing Leticia." I gasped. "Apparently, they moved a smaller group yesterday to another location."

"Do you know what this means? Alonde must have more than one house," I said. "He's found another place to hide the group of women. Maybe some place nearby?"

"You're right," he said. "I'll have someone look into it."

Ranger paid the bill, made some calls, changed our shoes, and headed out of the restaurant to the new investigation site. It was a three-story house, surrounded by walls, a pool in the in the back yard facing the beach. We could hear the sounds of the ocean coming from behind the privacy wall.

Ranger studied the setting with carefulness. Samuel appeared moments later with a sweater in his hand. I tapped lightly on his shoulder to get his attention. He turned towards me, his eyes unfocused.

"This is hers," he said, showing me the piece of clothing in his hands. "I gave it to her on her fourteenth birthday. The seams were starting to come undone, but she sewed it back together, never took it off."

Tears pooled in his eyes, and in mine.

"The realtor says the buyer bought a number of complexes similar to this one." Ranger interrupted the moment. "We might find him in one of them."

I jumped as my cellphone vibrated on my hip. I grabbed it and put it on speaker for everyone to listen.

"The second little pig built his house out of sticks. This was a little bit stronger than a straw house," Alonde's voice. The backyard became quiet, except for the sounds of nature around us.

"Stephanie Plum, I'm not a patient man," the voice sneered. "I did not want to resort to this kind of cheap games, but you need an incentive."

A sudden wave of heavy breathing could be heard on the line, followed by a yelp.

"Stephanie," a breathy voice said, the tone forced as if she was gritting her teeth.

"Leticia, talk to me, please." I begged, my body in alert. There was a huff and scream. Samuel fisted his hands, holding the urge to snatch the phone and yell a few words into the receiver. The line went dead again.

"Samantha sent teams to investigate the other two locations," Ranger started, taking my hands in his. "We should go."

A minute later, Ranger received another call. Samantha had a hit. She gave him directions, and he drove faster than ever. I had to hold onto the door when I stepped out of the car, waiting for the feeling of vertigo to subside.

The house was surrounded, held by white walls hiding the evil on the other side. We found Samantha sitting in a van and staring into a screen.

"We are trying to find out how many people are inside," she said. "There's a basement. We won't know how many are armed until we are closer."

"Do you think he might have drawn us here on purpose?" I asked, fearing that this was another setup. Our previous experience with Alonde showed that he could be quite smart at times.

"We are about to find out," she answered. A second later, a voice resonated through walls of the vehicle.

"We have the house surrounded. A man was seen looking out the window."

My phone came to life once again. I took it out of my packet and pressed the speaker bottom.

"The third little pig built his house out of bricks," he said. "Do you know what happened to the wolf, Stephanie? Did you think you could outsmart me? I've been waiting for you. I'll see you in four hours, or you won't see your little friend ever again."

The color drained from my face. Alonde was smart, too smart. Things never ended well for the wolf.

"You think I'm a she-wolf?" I asked him.

"Oh Ms. Plum, for that you'll pay."

"I need to go in," breathed, hanging up.

"No." Ranger's voice was firm. I looked up at him to find a stern face, jaw tight, eyes hard.

"He wants me," I snapped. "Didn't you hear? This is the only way."

"This is not the only way," he responded, voice cold.

"The swat team's here," Samantha said. We walked out of the vehicle to find a SWAT team ready for action.

Ranger glanced at Samantha, their eyes met. She seemed confused for a few seconds, until her eyes widen.

"You want to join the team?" She asked. Ranger nodded.

"I'm going in," he said, "keep her safe."

"What?" I couldn't believe it, couldn't bear the thought. "This is exactly what he wants!"

"Babe."

I walked towards him and beat his chest with fisted hands. My voice dropped to an angry whisper, almost a sneer.

"This is what he wants," I said. "If you go in, he could hurt you, torture you." My anger faltered a little. "He could kill you."

Ranger took my hand and pulled me away from the action. We were semi-hidden between two vans. He pulled my body against him, his breath caressing the skin of my neck.

"Ranger, please don't go," I pleaded.

"Babe," he warmed. I took a deep breath and strengthened my shoulders.

"Car…" I paused, bracing myself. "Carlos, please."

He closed his eyes, body relaxing under my touch. I wrapped my arms around him, drawing him to me. Ranger rested his forehead against mine. My hands snaked down his t-shirt, caressing the skin uncovered by the Kevlar vest.

Samantha found us some minutes later. She had changed her clothes, Kevlar and sneakers.

"Stephanie, we need you," she said. We walked back to the van. Three men sat behind the machines, headsets in place and backs hunched over keyboards.

"We are going to call the house," she said. "We need to find out how many people are in the house. Witnesses suggest we are dealing with at least eight hostages. Plus three men and two women associated with Alonde, we think they're partners."

One of the men offered me a chair close to the audio system. Ranger stood on the other side, arms crossed. I was given a phone. The line rang a total of five times, nobody picked up. We tried again a few minutes later, this time letting it run longer.

"We'll have to wait for him to call back," Samantha lamented.

"But time's running out," I complain, my temper getting the best of me. We waited around for half an hour until my phone started ringing.

"Time is running out little wolf," the voice mocked. "The clock is ticking away."

"How many people are inside the complex?" I asked quickly.

"You need to come in and find out," he said. Samantha leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "exchange."

"What happens if I go in?" I asked. "Would you release your hostages?"

"Do you think I'm stupid?" He questioned, his tone hinting annoyance. "You have two hours left Ms. Plum. If you don't come to me, I'll start killing them off, one by one."

And the line went dead.

**-RS-**

Ricky: Daddy! Can I have a dog?

Ranger: Too loud…messy.

Ricky: Can I have a snake?

Ranger: Too dangerous. What about a turtle?

Ricky: Turtles are boring (frown). Can I get a lion? A crocodile?

Ranger: (Pensive) Okay, let's go get the dog.

Reviews and comments are extremely encouraged. Thanks for reading.


	26. Danger

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own anything. The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. However, I do own Sofia.**

******Note:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I appreciate the encouragement. Also, thanks to JessicaRenae for editing this chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know if you liked it.

**Chapter 26. Danger**

**Steph's POV**

The plan was set in place half an hour later. Ranger took me by surprise when he told everyone on the team that I was not to get involved. He strapped knives and guns to his clothing and walked out of a vehicle wearing SWAT gear. I was speechless, unable to formulate any words other than "please don't go in."

"Don't worry," he said quietly. "I won't die and give him the satisfaction."

He winked, and then kissed me. I pushed against his chest and looked into his eyes. If I plan to build a life, a home with him, then I had to understand that there are times he will be in danger. Both of us could be in danger.

Sofia appeared a few minutes later, her hair tied up in a pony tail, combat boots, and wearing gear. I rolled my eyes in exasperation. Lester appeared at her side, panting, with one hand over his stomach wound.

"Beautiful," he said tenderly, sitting on the sidewalk next to me. He put a reassuring arm over my shoulder.

"When are you going in?" I asked Sofia, my head down. I am supposed to be the one going in, but Samantha refused. It didn't matter how much I begged and pleaded. I was too 'important,' and they can only 'use me as the last resort.'

I couldn't help feeling like an item, and they just didn't know what to do with me. My left eye started to twitch. If only I had Alonde right in front of me, he would regret ever messing with me.

Samuel didn't back me up, arguing that he wouldn't forgive himself if something happened to me. Did they understand how much I had at stake? I could lose Ranger, lose my friend, and I would have no one else to blame but myself. As selfish as it may sound, the idea of losing Ranger was completely intolerable and not something I was willing to do.

"We're studying the options," she said.

"Mendes," Ranger called out. Sofia turned around with a frown.

"What makes him think that he can give me orders?" She asked, annoyed. "I'll be right back."

Lester smiled a little, his eyes full of worry under a mask of calm. I gave him a fake punch on the face. He smiled.

"How do you deal with it?" I asked him. "How can you let her go?"

"I'd do the same if I could," he replied, pulled his shirt up to show me his neat row of stitches.

"They didn't let you go either," I concluded, nodding my understanding. "What are the chances?"

"We have the advantage," he said. "We outnumber them, and we have Samantha. She's the best when it comes to this kind of situation."

I chuckled in despite of my worry.

"You're perfect for Sofia," I confided. "She needs someone to support her decisions and urge her to do her best. She has walked a lonely path until now."

He seemed to think about for a few minutes, breathing deeply. It made me wonder if Sofia ever told him about her life, her relationship with her father, and about her past.

"They'll be fine, you know," he soothed, his head lowered in deep thought. Ranger walked over to me with a phone in hand.

"Ricky wants to talk to you," he said.

"Hi mommy!" My son's voice blasted through the speaker, making me jerk away from the phone.

"Hi honey, did you eat breakfast?"

"Yeah," he replied. "Grandma and grandpa are here."

He was happy.

"Really?"

"Ah-uh," he replied. "They brought me toys and pizza."

"Wow." I stretched the sound of the words. Tears leaked out of my eyes. "Honey, that's amazing." My parents' silent support overwhelmed me, warming my heart.

"Mommy, you working?" He asked.

"Yes, Baby," I responded. "As soon as I'm done I'll be there, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed. "Go get the bad guys."

I laughed in surprise, the tears now streaming down my face. Obviously, the Rangeman employees are becoming a significant influence on my son.

"Be good, baby," I said. "I love you."

"Love you too, mommy." Ricky said before disconnecting to go and play.

"Did you talk to him?" I asked Ranger a moment later.

"Yes," he said, his voice even.

"Your parents heard the news and immediately drove to Haywood. I'm afraid Ranger's parents are on the way as well," Lester informed me. It occurred to me that my parents wanted to stay with Ricky, just in case...

Ranger pulled me up and kissed me slowly. I broke apart to nestle my head on the crook of his neck.

"Don't get hurt," my words came ragged.

"Don't go crazy," he responded, and with that, he walked away. Sofia walked over to me and gave me a hug. She smiled, a smile that was always mischievous, just like she was holding a secret from the world.

"I'll take care of him for you." She smirked. I shook my head, amused.

"Be careful," I told her. Lester pulled her to him, capturing her head between his hands, and kissing her before she had time to react. We all looked away for a moment to give them privacy.

Sofia stepped back from the kiss stunned and breathless. She stumbled a little as she walked away to join the squad.

The SWAT team penetrated the fort-like walls that surrounded the compound. They jumped over and into the garden. The area was silent for a few minutes, except for the sound a helicopter above.

I glanced back to towards the other side of the street, now taken over by the media. Samantha's partner took over the task of managing the reporters. They had gathered behind the wooden barrier out in place by the police. A number of police officers stood on the side, making sure no one crossed the barrier. Cameras clicked away, and voices called out my name when I walked around the van.

My head hurt. I ran a nervous hand through my crazy hair. This morning I was kissing Ranger, about to make love to him. Why couldn't crime have better timing? It's like every time I wanted a bit of time for myself, something had to happen. My son's soft voice came into my mind, the reminder of a goodnight kiss on my cheeks.

"I love you, mommy."

-RS-

**Ranger's POV**

"Sofia, pay attention." She straightened and glared my way. Much better. She was about to step in a hole. No doubt Lester's kiss gave her plenty to think about.

We moved cautiously toward the house, working under the assumption that the left side of the building –being the only side without windows- would be more vulnerable. He could hear voices coming from the inside, shouting and a woman yelling angry commands.

We moved stealthily, making decisions as we went. This was not the typical hostage situation. Judging by this guy's history, there's only one way to handle him. We took our positions and waited for the signal.

"You are surrounded. Consider an exchange or we will go in," the agent's voice resonated through the walls of the complex.

"Manoso," Sofia's worrisome voice came from my side. I glanced up to see where she pointed. I tried to keep my composure. This was definitely not the time to worry.

-RS-

**Steph's POV**

"Hello," my voice became weary.

"Ms. Plum," came Alonde's smug voice. "I think you should reconsider your place. How do you think this is going to end?"

"Oh, I don't know, with you in prison," I answered. "Considering that you're so confident, tell me, why?"

"Do you think I would be so stupid as to stay in the house?" He asked. "I'm sorry, my dear, but that is not my scene."

"Where's Leticia?"

"She's in the house," he affirmed. "I left her to handle my explosives. Perhaps, Mr. Manoso will take better care of them on her behalf."

The world stopped around me for a few minutes. The rhythm of my heart accelerated, my body becoming cold.

"Lost for words, Ms. Plum?"

"What should I do?"

"There's an officer around the corner of Maine Street. He will bring you to me, walks casually, don't tell anyone. If someone asks, make an excuse. You have one hour, or I'll blow up the house."

I hang up, coming back to the sounds of cars and the voices of the people around me. This was a trap. It has always been a trap.

-RS-

I had misguided Lester, telling him I needed to run to the bathroom. The wound on his stomach restricted his moment, so we agreed that he would wait for me. A man with beady eyes and a growing goat's beard met me near the end of the street. It felt like a long walk, but it took me less than a minute. He ushered me into a police car.

"Phone?" He asked. I gave him my phone without question. He sat behind the steering wheel and drove me out of sight without uttering a word.

It took less than seven minutes to reach the shores of Point Pleasant. Soon we were walking towards the walking path. The beach was crowded with people, many of them children. The sun was hot on my skin. I could feel the rapid beat of my heart, causing a low thunder in my ears.

A man sat on a lonely bench. He was dressed in khaki dress pants and thin button up shirt combined with walking sandals. I thought I was looking at a dead man. Alonde. Mr. Matta. Mr. Smith. These were all the same person. This version had a sandy hair, his skin tan, eyes knowledgeable.

"How is it possible?" The words fall out of my mouth.

"My brother was an idiot," he said. "He needed to die. Please, sit and join me, Ms. Plum."

I sat next to him, my hands curled into a fist to stop them from shaking. He took a cup from his side and handed it to me.

"Lemonade?" He asked. A ball reached his legs, followed by laughing child. She stopped half way, her eyes smiling.

"I'm sorry, sir," she said.

Alonde took the ball and handed it back, the smile on his face calculated.

"No worries." He dug into his pocket for a candy bar and gave it to the girl. "This is for you, sweetheart." The words sounded sweet without any trace malice, my stomach hurled.

"The man at the club, he was your brother," I said, "and you killed him."

"Like I said," he started. "He deserved to die."

There was no point to argue with a psychopath. He turned on his side and glanced at the police officer waiting at the distance.

He stood up, his frame big and dangerous, and offered me his arm. "Link yourself to me, Ms. Plum. We are going for a ride."

-RS-

Steph: (chanting, her eyes closes) I must be brave, I must be brave...

Ranger: Babe. It's okay to feel fear sometimes, it's part of life. Just don't let it paralyze you, or stop you from reaching your dreams.

Steph: (kisses Ranger) Thanks.

Ranger: This fanfiction is the writer's version of being brave. Comments and reviews are welcomed and encouraged. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter.


	27. In Darkness

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own anything. The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. However, I do own Sofia.**

******Note:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I appreciate the encouragement. Also, thanks to JessicaRenae for editing this chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know if you liked it.

**Chapter 27 – In Darkness**

**Steph's POV**

"How did you follow me?" I asked, linking my arm with his and attempting to keep a straight face. The smell of his cologne was strong on my hyped senses. I cringed a little.

"Every system has a loophole," he explained. "Mr. Manoso's weakness happens to be his over-protectiveness. I bought off one of his newest employees and linked his system to mine. I can see everything he sees. I know where your family members are every second. The knowledge is…" He paused as if he was searching for the proper term, "empowering."

"I hate you," was my only response, my anger untamable. I wanted to kill his man with my bare hands. I looked at my surroundings, making out the number of suspicious men, all strategically placed around the beach. Kids ran around us as we walked, completely unaware of the danger.

"Why?" I asked this time. "Why do you do all of this?"

"My mother was trafficked to the United States from Europe. She was a young woman with big dreams, lured away by a kid with enough money to make those dreams come true. He sold her out and bought a new fancy car with the reward. It happens."

I shook my head, suddenly feeling all disoriented.

"When you're born into the trafficking business," he continued. "There are little options for child. I chose to survive."

"You chose to survive by becoming one of the monsters that enslaved your mother," I spat back through gritted teeth.

"I saved my mother," he said, "and by chance my brother. I gave them an opportunity."

He turned his head to look down at me. Monsters, I thought, come in all forms. Unlike his brother, this man not only provoked fear. He invoked repulsion. The way he spoke, the matter in which he carried himself, all signaled to a great actor. The clean-cut image on the outside betrayed his real self.

"This way." He pointed towards a black car parked closest to the entrance to the beach. I slid into the back seat when he opened the door. He walked around and took the seat next to me. There was a man behind the wheel.

Alonde took a pill from his pocket and dropped it into a cup of water. I watched as he carefully swirled the liquid, mixing it, before turning to me.

"Drink."

I never felt more vulnerable than at that moment. There was no escape. My hands shook as I took the cup, my fingers numb against the cold glass.

"I told you, Ms. Plum. You should rethink your place." He smirked. "I have all the power."

The bastards grinning face was the last thing I saw before falling into a long and dangerous sleep.

-RS-

Ranger's POV

"Sofia," I said. "What can you tell me about the explosives?"

She seemed to think for a moment, her expression focused as she took the time to review the situation.

"Motion sensitive," she guessed. "However, it could be easily activated through control remote."

"How advance?"

"Advanced," she reported. "You see these cables, the explosive spreads out all around the house. I'm afraid it can blow out the compound."

"Shit."

She traced the lined up with her eyes, slowly examining the ground. "We need the experts."

-RS-

Steph's POV

The room was dark. It smelled of rust and mildew. My eyes adjusted to their new environment. I was lying on a cot in someone's basement. Instead of my jeans and shirt, I was wearing a silk teddy that barely covered my rear.

I felt disgusting, bile in my mouth. He'd touched me! He touched me, and I had no way to stop him. It disgusted me. This is what he wanted all along. He thought he could control me, take away my agency, my freedom, and humiliate me. If I showed the slightest sign of defiance, he would make sure to break me.

I sighed and sat back on the cot in my thinking position. Things did not look good for me.

-RS-

Lester's POV

"Where's Stephanie?"

Samantha looked at me with worried eyes. Our thoughts linked together and arrived at the same conclusion.

"Lester?" She growled. I grabbed my phone and dialed Haywood.

"Cal, do you have a position on Stephanie?"

"The system shows she's at the site. I'll give you the coordinates." It took about five minutes to find Steph's phone under the Samantha's car.

I cursed under my breath. "She's gone."

"We have more bad news," Samantha rushed into the computerized van and shut the door behind us. Tank walked in with Robert, Samantha's partner. He glanced my way and narrowed his eyes.

"You shouldn't be here," he said. Tank had been left to deal with the press at RangeMan. The look of resignation crossed his face as he took in my presence and the urge to do something other than host a press conference.

"Stephanie's gone," I responded instead of making excuses.

"She's not gone," he retorted. "Ranger had us placed trackers in all of her footwear for when all other resources failed."

He presented us with a thin black cellphone that I recognized as Ranger's.

"The tracker activates as she starts to walk," he explained. "The feed is transmitted to Ranger's phone. It's not connected to Haywood. There's no way that anyone can hack into it. Al and Vince are keeping an eye on the situation, but we need backup."

Samantha spoke next, "We have another problem."

She briefed us on the explosive situation. The silence inside the van was deafening. Our most significant players were in danger. Ranger, Stephanie, and Sofia could die if we made the wrong move.

-RS-

Steph's POV

"You look lovely," he said, extending a cup of champagne my way. I put the insulting drink aside and looked at him. The room he had taken me to was not unusual, but impressive. The room was definitely not the basement where he forced and tortured his victims. It was a luxurious study. We sat at a small table near the door. There were shelves of books around us, a desk near the window, and beautiful rug in the middle.

"You like humiliating women," I said. "It confuses me. After all, your mother is a victim of the same crime you lead."

"Perhaps, it's Regina's fault." He pushed the cup my way. "Drink! Maybe I'll tell you about it."

I raised the cup and placed it to my lips, not quite tasting the liquid. I had the inkling that Alonde had become a victim himself. Men are not trafficked for sexual labor as often as women, but boys are targeted. Little boys are a commodity in the heinous business of human trafficking. Alonde glanced briefly towards the desk, inspecting the back of his computer.

"Life is unfair." I started, regaining my courage. "We are given obstacles and challenges, but at the end it's the way we respond to those obstacles that matter. We have choices. Don't expect sympathy from me."

My little speech made him laugh. He tilted the cup my way for a mocking salute.

"Stephanie Plum," he said. "You have some spice. Regina was my pimp. I was only six years old. She was a monster. Now she's dead. I fear no one."

My heart skipped a beat. The knowledge that people could be capable of such monstrosity made my blood curdle. He took a strawberry from the plate on the table, leaving a spot of red on the white tablecloth as the water from the fruit dropped onto it. It was a red spot on cleaned sheets. I couldn't help thinking that this is how it started for this man. It started with one red spot marking the innocence of a child.

"Now you've become Regina," I concluded. He glared my way, his eyes angry and cold.

"I'm a little softer than Regina."

A crash came from the exterior of the house. Alonde glanced around the room, a little startled. He gave me a dirty look before taking off to investigate. I forced myself to breathe and stood up.

I took inventory of the room. It was small, not many windows. There was a stand full of memorabilia and books. The door was locked.

I needed a weapon.

My first encounter with Mr. Matta –should I say Alonde- was a disaster. There was malice in his eyes, anger, and something evil. If I was Alonde, I would keep weapons hidden around the house, especially in the office. I looked around tables and stands. There was a shelf of books near the door. There was nothing particularly interesting about the shelf, but the presence of the books made me look twice. I did a double take and a spun around.

I'd saw in a movie once, where a man had fake books in his library. When you open one of the books, the actor would find a space inside. I know it sounded cliché, but I gave it a try anyway. The volumes were thick and heavy. I shook my head in disbelieve, unable to imagine Alonde reading any of them. I pushed through books before I made out the butt of a gun. I pushed a book to the side, and bingo.

I moved the weapon to a more suitable place and took inventory of my surroundings once again. The door slammed open just in time. Alonde's eyes were narrowed and full of disgust. I gulped. Suddenly, the man seemed bigger and scarier than before.

"What's wrong?" I asked, biding my time. He cocked his head to the side, accessing his prey.

"How did they get here?" He snarled, moving closer towards me.

"Who?"

"Don't pretend to be an idiot," he said. "Is the tracker in your body? Inside your skin?"

Alonde moved to touch me. I stepped back. He grabbed my arm and twisted it to examine the skin around the inner side. The nausea took over when he started tracing my arms with his hands. I didn't want his hands anywhere near my body.

"I do not have trackers, you bastard." He slapped me. It was so sudden and fast that I barely had the time to react.

"How did they get here?" He demanded.

"I don't know," I yelled, "but if it means anything, I don't like being tracked."

Alonde grabbed a chunk of my hair and pulled toward the table. I cringed in pain. He pressed himself against me. I pushed backed, twisting long enough to take a bite of his arm. He jerked away. I dodged Alonde's first strike causing his fist to hit the table. I lunged towards the bookcase, but his hands found the neckline of the teddy before I had the chance to escape. He ripped open the dress, right through the middle.

He tossed me against the wall, my head bouncing off the hard surface. A sharp pain invaded my brain and I suddenly felt very dizzy. Alonde crouched in front of me, putting a hand under my chin, and pushing it up. The nauseous feeling in my stomach took over. I vomited.

"Disgusting," he grunted, momentarily moving away from me to clean his hands. He kicked me various times before leaving the room. I waited a few seconds before crawling towards the shelf.

The gun appeared new. I opened the cylinder to find only two bullets. Well, better make the best of it, I thought. This man was bigger and stronger than me, but I could use my weight as an advantage. I practiced enough with Tank to gain some confidence. This was the moment. This could be the day that I die.

I forced my body to a stand and moved to stand behind the door. Alonde walked in once again. This time he took slow steps, growling.

"Don't play with me, Ms. Plum," he said. "You are not in a place to gamble."

I thought about my options. If I was right, Alonde's men were trying to hold up the police and Rangeman employees waiting outside. However, this time, I was the only hostage. It was a lot to assume, but I had to put my faith on something. The idea of leaving my son alone was the only encouragement.

I slammed the door on Alonde's face as hard as possible. He grunted, pushed back by the force. He stumbled backwards, giving me the chance to walk around the door. He had a hand on his forehead, but came charging towards me any way. I pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. Then, I remember the thing only had two bullets.

Alonde took the gun from my hands and pushed me against the wall. He grabbed my head and repeatedly pounded it against the wall. The throbbing headache took over my sense. I could feel the tears on my cheeks. The man ceased, pushing me to the floor. He put the gun on the table in front of me, taunting me.

"You piece of shit," he spat, walking towards his desk. He grabbed a small device. It was a laptop. He pulled a chair closer to me, opened it and showed me the screen.

"Do you know what happens if I press this button?" He asked. I studied the image on the screen. It was a video feed of the compound where Leticia was held hostage. Ranger and Sofia were still inside. On the other side of the screen was another image. It was…

"Don't," I gasped. It was the building at Haywood.

"I want you to beg," he sneered.

"Please, don't," I pleaded, moving my hand to my head, trying to stop the pain. My vision blurred. "Please, don't."

"I can't hear you," he barked."

"Please! Don't kill them." It was a rasp.

"Kneel," he ordered. I pushed my body into a kneeling position.

"Please," I begged.

"You look beautiful," he said, "kneeling semi naked in front of me, begging me."

The bastard pressed the button anyway, a smug smile on his face. I wailed as he tilted his head back and laughed. The image on the computer screen went blank.

Suddenly, the pain on my head, my bruised ribs, my aching legs, nothing mattered. I lurched up and forward with a speed I didn't think possible for a mangled body. Alonde was not expecting me, his faced hardened, one arm reaching for the gun. I punched him as hard as I could muster. He grabbed my hair, pushing my head back. I made a peace sign with my fingers and drove them into his eyes. He jerked away in pain. I grabbed the gun from the table, pulling the trigger. The thing didn't fire.

I knew it had two bullets, so I kept trying. I pushed myself up and fired. Three more tries and blood splattered his shirt. He remained still. I sunk to the floor and cried. My body felt numb, but my mind, my spirit felt broken.

I didn't register everything that happened next. Perhaps there were some doors slammed open, and some bullets were fired. I couldn't care less. He was dead. My physical pain was not enough to overshadow the pain I felt inside. I had lost my reason to live.

-RS-

Ranger: Babe, wake up... Please

Steph: Uhm

Ranger: I love you.

Steph: Uhm...No

Ranger: I'll buy you tiramisu.

Steph: *Eyes open wide* Okay, I'm fine.

Ranger: That's my girl.


	28. HOME

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own anything. The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. However, I do own Sofia.**

******Note:** Thanks to JessicaRenae for helping me edit this chapter. I'm truly sorry it has taken me so long to post. I completed this story last October, but conflicting schedules with my beta delayed the posting process. That said, I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Let me know if you liked it.

**Chap. 28 HOME**

**Steph's POV**

In my dreams, Ranger wore a white button up shirt with black slacks. He offered me his hand, inviting me to dance. I took it, closing the distance between us. He rewarded me with a kiss below my ear. He was alive! In the dream, he was alive and well.

"You look gorgeous," he whispered. I followed his eyes and found a beautiful white dress, a beach dress.

Ricky, I searched for Ricky in the vicinity. We were under a palm tree on an empty beach. The place was gorgeous, the sand the whitest I'd ever seen. Ricky appeared right next to us. He was also dressed up, much like this father. He smiled up at me, his eyes shining with happiness.

"Hi, mommy," he said, his voice soft.

Then, he started fading. I felt to my knees and opened my arms to pull him against my chest, but it was in vain. My arms went right through him as if he was an apparition. I ended up hugging the air. I looked up at Ranger, but he was fading too, blending into the landscape and away from me.

They both faded away.

Blood now replaced the beautiful dress. I looked down at my hands and found them drenched. When I looked around me, the setting had changed. I was at a graveyard. There was nothing around me, but the dead.

-RS-

Beep…beep…beep…beep…

My eyes fluttered open, the light hurting my eyes. Was I dead? I should be dead. A hand touched my forehead, touching me softly, but I couldn't make out a face.

"Mommy," a child's voice in my ear. I tried to move, still unable to see anything around me. I shut my eyes for a moment and slid right back to sleep. The next time I opened them, the room started to make sense to me. It was sterile. The smell of antiseptic reached my nose. I recognized that smell. I was at the hospital.

"Babe," Ranger's voice. I followed the direction of the sound and found him sitting on a chair next to my bed. I tried to sit up, but the sharp pain in my head halted my movements.

"Easy now," he soothed, standing next to me. "You have a pretty severe concussion."

The images came to me one after the other, a montage of horrific moments. The computer. Alonde. Blood. The bastard used my head as a basketball.

"Ricky?" I asked, the machine beeping faster now.

"Breath, Babe," he responded instead. "I'll call the doctor."

"Don't tell me to calm down," I snapped. "Where's my son?"

"He's fine," he answered. "I sent him home with my parents, Lester, and Sofia."

"Sofia?"

"She has a broken arm," he said, "but she's fine."

The relief was overwhelming. My family was alive. Ricky, Sofia, my parents, and Ranger. They were all alive.

"Thank God," I chuckled, tears pooling in my eyes. I turned back to Ranger and noticed the bandages for the first time.

"Ranger," I whispered, unable to hide the pain I felt inside.

"Carlos," he corrected. "I'm okay, minor injuries. Babe, I need to know. Did he touch you?

"No." A solemn answer. I caressed his jaw and felt him relax under my fingertips.

"We saved Leticia," he said.

"How is she doing?"

"She's happy to be back with her family. Samuel and her mom haven't left her room. She's threatening not to accept any type of treatment if they don't go home to rest. She's strong, like someone else I know."

"Thanks," I blushed, a long pause. "I thought you died." He kissed my forehead and held me. I gulped, drawing in some air. "I thought the explosion cut the feed. I thought all of you died."

"I know Babe," he sat on the bed next to me, holding me. "I know exactly how you felt."

"What happened?" I asked, after gaining some composure. Ranger took a deep breath and gently rubbed my back.

"Sofia discovered the explosives," he said. "I have some training with explosives, and dealt with some in the field, but these were thought through very carefully. They had wired it in ways I'd never experienced."

"I didn't want to lose you," I confided, sounding needy. "Alonde called to warn me. He was going to blow the compound if I didn't follow orders. Then, I saw Haywood on his computer, and I thought…"

"Babe, he was going to blow it up anyway." Ranger pressed a kiss to my temple.

"How did you get Leticia? Haywood?"

"The experts came in shortly after the discovery of the bombs. Half the team joined Sofia and I in rescuing the girls. They were all locked inside a dark moldy basement. They were all naked and dehydrated. As for Haywood, Cal discovered the explosives inside a car parked outside the building. They managed to get things under control."

God, my head hurts. Ranger seemed to notice and pressed the call button on the side of my bed. Soon, a doctor and a nurse came into the room. The nurse was my mother, and she immediately rushed to my bed.

"Stephanie, dear," she said, glancing disapprovingly towards Ranger. "You need to rest."

"Mother," I grunted.

The doctor smiled at us and glanced at Ranger with a dark expression. Clearly, he dealt with RangeMan employees long enough not to fear the man in black.

"Mr. Manoso, you are under specific instructions not to leave your room.

"I told you to give us a joined room," Ranger replied, his voice dangerously calm. He stood up and reclaimed the chair.

The doctor shook his head and turned to me. "I'm Dr. Allen, how are you feeling Ms. Plum?"

"My head hurts." I touched it, wincing at the bolt of pain. "My ribs."

"Yes, you have a concussion, it's not a minor TBI either, so we need to monitor you. You were unconscious when you were brought here and remained unconscious for some time." The doctor moved around the bed, checking my vitals. "You have a few other nasty bruises, but I'm positive you'll make a quick recovery."

"How long have I been asleep?"

"You slept for about ten hours," Ranger answered. My eyebrows furrowed, my brain trying to tell me something.

"What?" I asked, a little incredulous. "What date is it?"

"August tenth," he answered. I scrambled up to a sitting position, knocking the IV pole to the floor. I tried to disengage it from my arm, but realized there was another, more embarrassing, medical tube to take care.

"Ms. Plum, I can't release you yet," the doctor argued, "not without a proper examination."

"What time is it?" I asked.

"It's six in the morning, Babe," Ranger replied. "What's wrong?"

"Ricky's Birthday," I reminded him. "He was so excited. Do we have time?

"We have the time," he assured me.

"Mom?"

"We'll talk about it letter, honey."

"Please, Ms. Plum, you should lay down. You need to rest."

"I need to pee," I said. The doctor sighed, murmuring something about RangeMan, will power, and hospitals.

"I'm sure Nurse Helen can help you with that." The doctor turned to leave, "I'll be back to evaluate you, Ms. Plum. Afterwards, we will run some test and determine how long you will stay here."

"Mom, what about Ricky's birthday? Do we have time?" She put a hand on my shoulder and with gentle hands urged me to lie down.

"Tank will bring him later during the day to see you," she said. "We have time."

"I don't want him to see me like this," I rasped, pushing myself up on my elbows.

"I'll help with the catheter," she sighed.

"Why do I have a catheter anyway?"

"We didn't know if you were going to wake up," she said, her voice low. My mother glanced at Ranger, silently asking him to leave.

"I'm not going anywhere," he answered. My mother grunted and pulled the curtains around my bed.

"Mom, wait," I called out before he disappeared behind the fabric.

He stood and limped to my bed. I took his head between my hands and pulled him to me. I kissed him. It was a long deep kiss, full of passion and lust. It was the kind of kiss that takes your breath away. It was us.

"It's Carlos," he said, almost a whisper on my lips.

"Ahem," my mom cleared her throat. My mother's voice was both, pleading and amused. "I'm still standing here. Please, don't take off your clothes."

We pulled away with smiles on our faces. A tear rolled down Ranger's cheek. He could see the surprise in my eyes, but didn't hide his feelings me. I wiped it away with my thumb, looking into his eyes and sharing a silent moment of understanding. He won't always be open about everything in his life, his past, but he loved… loves me. I had no doubts, not this time.

"I love you," he said, and I rewarded him with another kiss.

-RS-

I spent the following days being examined. There was a lot of probing, tests, and x-rays done. There was a CAT scan and an MRI to make sure my head was okay, and that my brain was not swelling inside my skull. A few x-rays were done to make sure my ribs were going to heal properly, a blood test, and one psychiatric evaluation for reassurance.

The doctor released Ranger on the first day, but he never left my bedside. On the third day, I was getting nervous. It was my son's birthday, and I didn't plan to spend it at the hospital. Bobby walked into my room around ten, and I was glad to see the RangeMan medic.

_Please give me good news_, I chanted silently. _Please, bring me good news._

"I have good news," he said, giving me a hug. "The doctor is releasing you to my care."

"Are you sure?" I smiled.

"Of course, I think Ranger had a lot to do with it," he said. "There's a catch though."

"What?"

Bobby walked out of the room and came back with a wheelchair. I shook my head.

"You had a bad concussion, and more than one badly bruised rib," he argued. "This will prevent any more falls or injuries if you faint or fall, and knowing you, there's a high percentage that might happen. You can't be too careful. This is the only option."

I pouted at his reminder of my historically uncoordinated self, but I agreed, figuring out there was no point in arguing. Ranger walked in a moment later to help me dress. He leaned down and pecked my lips. We were off on a good start.

-RS-

We arrived at Haywood early in the afternoon. Ranger opened the door to the penthouse, and my son rushed to my side.

"Mommy!" I pulled him into my embrace and onto my lap and showered him with kisses. He was so happy to see me. He seemed to have grown overnight, his hair a mess and his eyes mischievous as always.

Ranger wheeled us inside, where Mrs. Manoso greeted me with a smile, her eyes moving between her son and I.

"I can't believe you two," she said. "Stephanie, I thought the doctor said you still need time to recover."

Ranger said something to her in Spanish. She shook her head in resignation and kissed his cheek, whispering something in his ear. "Of course," she said. "I'll call Celia."

"Thank you," Ranger answered.

"I'll see all of you later," she said, kissing Ricky's cheek and mine before leaving.

"Happy birthday, son," I said, kissing the top Ricky's head, his nose, his forehead, and cheeks…anywhere I could find. "You are officially four years old."

"Yes, I'm a big boy," he said proudly, throwing his hands in the air.

I agreed, doing my best to cuddle him without causing more pain to my ribs. "I think it's time to give you some responsibilities."

"Responsa… Responsabisis," he slurred the words.

"Yes, you have to start picking up after yourself now," I told him, "put all your toys in order. He slid down to the floor and ran to his room to do this newly assigned chores.

"Obedient," Ranger said, amused.

"How long do you think that will last?" I asked.

"He might surprise you, Babe."

"Yeah, wait until he's a teenager."

I forced myself to stand up and put my arms around him. It was a relief to know that everyone I love came out alive at the end. We had a second chance at being us, together. We had come a long way.

-RS-

Ranger: Happy Valentines, Babe.

Steph: Happy Valentines, Ranger. Thanks for my necklace. I also bought you a present.

Ranger: Really, where is it?"

Steph: Me, what else do you want?

Ranger: Good point.

RS-

**Next Chapter on Friday**


	29. What life should look like

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own anything. The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. However, I do own Sofia.**

******Note:** Thanks to Denise for editing this chapter. She's just pure awesomeness. Let me know if you liked it. I really really want to know...

;-)

**Chapter 29. What life should look like…**

**Steph's POV**

Ricky was more than happy to ride on my lap. I got a little dizzy from all the spinning, but I loved to see the smile on my son's face. We reached the fourth floor to find a silent hallway. By the time we reached the fourth floor, the halls were silent. We paused in front of the gym's door, when we reached it. Ranger asked Ricky to open the door.

"Surprise!"

All RangeMan employees, my friends, my parents, and Ranger's parents were present. All the equipment was moved out to make space for the guests. There was a big Happy Birthday banner on the wall behind them. A blue Batman themed cake was placed on the table, surrounded by small cupcakes with Justice League characters' symbols on them. There were balloons everywhere and a small bouncy house in a corner.

Ricky ran off to stare, mouth wide open, at the birthday cake on the table.

"Wow," he gasped, a few people laughed.

"How?" I asked Ranger. How did they manage all of this so quickly? He shrugged. Tears pricked my eyes. Some of my friends gathered around me, congratulating me on the success of the rescue and wishing me good health. Amy and Morelli were there with their baby girl, all wrapped into a little bundle. She made my heart melt. Our parents were standing together, talking quietly to one another or giving out refreshments. The women in Ranger's family gathered around my son, giving him kisses, and asking him questions.

"I better go make sure my family is not smothering our son," Ranger said, after shaking hands with my father.

"How are you doing, Pumpkin?" Dad asked.

"I'm very happy, even with a concussion and a few bruised ribs." He smiled.

"Pumpkin," my father said. "You did something wonderful this week. We saw the reports on television. Actually, everyone saw it. It's all over the news. Those children are alive because of you. You used your mind, your wit, and you saved them. I couldn't be any prouder."

"Thank you, Dad. I didn't do it alone, you know. It was a team effort." He kissed my forehead. We detoured away from Grandma Mazur, who was busy chatting up with some of the RangeMan employees. I felt a tinge bad for them. Grandma was fearless, no doubt there will be hazard pay reports on Ranger's desk in the morning.

A woman with dark skin and light eyes approached us. She was looking at me with curiosity, her eyes twinkling.

"Hello," she said. "I'm Celia, Carlos' oldest sister."

"Of course," I replied, taking in their resemblance. "Stephanie."

"How's the pain?"

"It's manageable."

"Ricky's a very smart kid," she said, "and he looks a lot like Carlos. I don't think our father is ever going to stop talking about him now. He's nostalgic, all his children left the nest." She rolled her eyes, her affection for her family clear on her face.

"Thank you." I laughed nervously.

Celia hugged me. "And thank you," she said. "Let me know if my family gives you any trouble. I know the triplets are planning to corner you at some point and get all your deepest and darkest secrets."

"Triplets?"

She pointed to a trio of women standing around Sofia. Sure enough, two of them looked identical, the third one was not, but close enough it was evident they were sisters.

"I think Lester's new girlfriend became the first target." She smiled. "Should we go rescue her? I'll introduce you and save you from their inquisition."

Ranger's father was a tall man, with light skin, and expressive eyes. He kept asking Ricky questions in Spanish. He even tried to start a conversation with me in Spanish, but I stumbled on my words, blushing. He laughed openly and patted my shoulder.

"Welcome to the family, Stephanie," he said with a slight accent. Nobody asked me any uncomfortable questions then. It seemed like Mr. Manoso's words had been the official introduction and welcome to the family, no questions asked.

Lester's mother arrived some time later. She was an Irish woman, with a welcoming demeanor, her skin pale and eyes the same bright green as her son. I thought she was about to do a little dance when Lester introduced her to Sofia. Turned out Ella had spoken intensively about Sofia with Mrs. Santos. They both thought Lester had found a home in Sofia. The women were quite confident.

-RS-

An hour later, I found Cal sitting at a corner, painting monsters, superheroes, and flowers on kids' faces. I watched him work for a while. He was actually pretty good.

"I didn't know you liked art," I said, pushing my chair closer to him.

"I worked as a tattoo artist for a while," he said, finishing a flower on a little girl's cheek. "Stephanie, this is my daughter Annabelle. Say hello, Annabelle."

The little girl's dress was pink and puffy, matching the blush on her face, her eyes hazel.

"Hello, Mrs. Ranger," she greeted shyly. I laughed. Cal shook his head with pride and tugged her closer. It occurred to me that I knew very little about Cal, and he had saved my life countless times.

"She's gorgeous," I told him. The Merry Men were now my family. Perhaps, they have always been a family. Ricky ran to us and leaned to whisper something in Annabelle's ear. Annabelle nodded, and they ran off to the middle of the room.

"What was that about?" Cal asked, arching an eyebrow.

Ricky took Annabelle to the dance floor, mimicking Mrs. and Mr. Manoso as they danced on the dance floor. I put my hand over my mouth to suppress a laugh, glancing at Cal through my peripheral. Ranger came over at that moment and offered his hand.

"Dance with me," he offered. I pushed myself off the wheelchair and into his arms. He half carried me to the middle of the room, and held me as we danced.

"I think our son has a new love interest," I noted.

"Should I start expecting play dates?" I danced a second dance with Ricky, sitting on my chair. The party had started to pick up, becoming a celebration of our lives.

"We should ask Cal." The guy stood with his arms crossed, watching the kids dance with an alarm look on his face. Ranger laughed openly, and we danced, forgetting about the people around us.

-RS-

"How are you feeling?" Sofia asked as we watched from a corner of the room. She passed me a Wonder Woman cupcake and picked one for herself at random.

"I feel better than yesterday."

"All these people came together for you," She explained in amazement. "Ranger's family and your family got along pretty well, nobody died."

"I know, I'm quite impressed." We laughed, pressing our hands to our stomachs.

"How's your arm?"

"I won't be able to do much for a while," she sighed, lifting her arm and dropping it in frustration.

"Did Lester's cousins give you a hard time?" I asked, laughing at her groan of frustration.

"Be aware of them," she warned. "They wanted to know what kind of underwear he wears, how many children I'd like to have, and if we have a date set for the wedding. And those were the easy questions. You don't want to know the rest, but I guess they are sort of your family now."

"I'll get Celia." We smiled at each other.

"I'll miss working with you," she confided a moment later. "New York City won't be the same without you."

"Are you kidding me? The city is probably going to be safer without me." If Sofia left, I knew I would miss moments like this one, dishing about men, reading trashy quizzes, and making each other laugh.

I looked up at Sofia with an arched brow. She's slumped onto a chair next to me and dug into her cupcake with pleasure. In the distance, Lester was dancing with one of the older women.

"What does he think about you going to New York?"

"He doesn't know," she confessed, concern drowning her laughter. "I don't know how to tell him."

"Sofia." My voice started to betray my worry. "New York is not that far from here. And you have family in Newark! You'll manage."

"Well, that's not the problem." She stared straight-ahead, watching him dance with his mother.

Sofia made Lester happy. All this time, I thought she might be the one getting hurt. Now, she was moving back to New York and thinking about a break up. She didn't say anything for a few minutes, lines marring her forehead. I stared at her knowingly.

"You're scared," I accused. "This is you, panicking."

"No, I'm not." She muffled her words with one last bite of cake.

"Sofia!"

"I'm not panicking. Does it look like I'm panicking?" She opened her hands to show me that she wasn't shaking. Therefore, she was not panicking. I rolled my eyes. "See? Lester's a nice guy, his antics could be even adorable, and he's a great listener."

"But? What's the petty excuse this time?"

"I should go to bed," she replied, getting up. "I need to return to the house tomorrow, pick up my stuff."

"You are leaving tomorrow?"I put my hand to my temple to soothe the growing headache. Sofia noticed the gesture.

"He makes me feel…" She took a deep breath before continuing. "Vulnerable."

"Like he's the chink in armor," I concluded with a big grin on my face this time.

"Yes, a little bit like that," she said, her tone serious, "but not like that at all."

Lester came running at that moment and leaned in to kiss her lips.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked. Sofia hesitated a little and glanced my way, a question in her eyes.

"Tell him," I urged.

"Tell me what?" Lester looked between us expectantly, his expression changing.

"Can we go upstairs?" Sofia gave me a quick hug and took Lester's hand. He followed her out of the room without asking questions.

In the distance, I saw Lester's mother smiling in amusement, her delight about her son's relationship evident.

-RS-

A week later, I woke up and found Ranger conversing with Lester. I found them sitting by the kitchen counter, speaking in low voices.

"Morning, gentlemen."

"Good morning, beautiful," Lester agreed, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"I should go," he said to Ranger. "We'll continue this conversation later."

"Yes," and this was a firm answer from Ranger.

"What's wrong?" I asked after the door closed.

"Lester's leaving," he answered. "He wants to go live with Sofia, in the far away island of New York City."

I gasped. "Is that sarcasm I hear?"

"Lester is irreplaceable. RangeMan can't afford to lose him."

"RangeMan will be fine," I assured him, giving him a kiss. "This is a big commitment for Lester too, you know."

"I know." He took a deep breath, moving a stray hair away from my eyes. Since the night of Leticia's rescue, our physical contact was kept to a minimum. Ranger worried about hurting me if we had sex. It was a little frustrating.

"This is good for Sofia, too," I explained. "Nobody ever committed to her as a child, not her parents, and definitely not the rest of her family."

He placed a kiss on my shoulder. "Are you ready for our visit?"

"I can't wait."

-RS-

We walked the hospital halls in silence. My throat went dry with anticipation. I didn't know in what state I was going to find Leticia. Would she want to see me? Was it too soon?

She was surrounded with envelopes and goody baskets, sharing chocolates boxes with Louis. The young man sat next to her on the bed, looking through the letters in a shoebox. They looked very happy.

"Stephanie!" She scrambled out of bed and met me half way. We hugged tight, taking in the moment.

"How are you coping?" I asked.

"Honestly, I'm happy he's dead," she said.

"I was so afraid for you," I told her as we sat on the bed next to each other. Ranger glanced over at Louis, and with a silent signal they both left the room to give us privacy.

"It was scary," she said, "sleeping on the streets, seeking warm food, and trying to stay out of danger. It wasn't easy."

"Why didn't you call me earlier?"

"I was afraid of putting you and Ricky in danger."

"I'm sorry about your father, Leticia." I gave her another tight hug and I reached into my purse for the beret that had come into my hands in the strangest of circumstances. "He was the first person to discover my real identity in New York City. He gave me this as a reminder of my past. It didn't mean anything to him. He was ashamed of his past, so he didn't want it."

The girl took the hat into her hands and examined the insignia. It was a Ranger's beret, the one I used the night of the club bust.

"Dad never talked about those days." She said. "Why was he ashamed?"

"He said it took him away from home," I answered. "He hoped it would do the opposite for me."

"Wow." The girl smiled ruefully. "Did it?"

"A little bit." I paused. "I would look at it and feel guilty. I left my family without giving them an explanation, my friends, the people that cared about me. Later I realized that your sneaky father wanted me to feel that way. He wanted me to go back home, not the physical home either, home to the people I loved."

We both chuckled at the thought.

"Yeah, Dad would do something like that," she mused, "and I'm at home now. Look at all these letters of support, all from strangers. I think there are people out there that need to hear my story. I can't help thinking that maybe I can make a difference."

We talked for about an hour and made plans for dinner sometime soon. She looked tired and skinny, but she was happy to be back with her family, already planning how to take over the world.

-RS-

I watched my son in silence for about a minute, not wanting to move and wake him up by making noise. Ranger walked in and pressed a kiss to my shoulder.

"You are tense," he said. Oh, yes, that's the other thing. Of course, I was tense. This was the first time Ranger and I were alone together without having to worry about kidnappers, bruises, or getting interrupted. I didn't know what to do. He grinned, apparently reading my mind.

"Babe." He took my hand and guided me out of Ricky's room and to our bedroom. He started taking off his clothes. I watched attentively, enjoying the way his body moved in front of me. Ranger was all mocha latte, his stomach muscles rippled as he moved. He stood in front of me in his jeans, shirtless and without shoes.

"Let me help you," he said, combing my hair back with his fingers. He took off my shoes, and I took off my shirt. Then, he helped me stand and remove my jeans. My balance was still a little challenged. I had to be careful not to move too fast. He put my arms around his neck and removed my underwear.

I closed my eyes, my mind giving way to sensation. He kissed his way from my neck to my shoulder.

"No sex tonight, babe," he whispered with half a grunt. I groaned.

"What are we doing then?"

"Shower," he said, "Wouldn't want you to fall in the tub. Your balance is still a little impaired."

"Is it?"

He lifted me up before I had a chance to protest.

"I like it when you pout." He kissed me lightly. "It's very cute."

I kissed the spot where his neck met his shoulder. Ranger walked me to the bathroom and lowered me into the tub. I exhaled and closed my eyes. The room smelled of Bulgari. The water was warm on my skin. I relished the feeling of my muscles untightening.

"Come join me," I said.

"Don't tempt me."

"Please."

"Babe."

"Help me shower." Ranger arched an eyebrow, but he took the soap into his hands, and ignored the mischievous smile on my face.

"You're playing with fire, babe."

Ranger ran his hands gently over my body. I moaned and leaned in to kiss him. He grunted between kisses and cursed under his breath. I grinned in triumph when he separated to take off the rest of his clothes. My body responded with a rush so wonderful that I even curled my toes.

"Come here," he demanded, his voice low and husky, holding on to a promise. I moved lazily, my heart picking up a pace.

-RS-

We went to bed afterward, pressed closely together. I was tucked into his warm embrace. I took a deep breath and drank in his scent, the sheets soft on my skin, and his breath warm on my neck. This was perfection.

I placed a kiss above his nipple and looked up to him. He watched me, watching him, and broke into a smile.

"I love you," I said, because it needed to be said, and it was the truth. It was a delayed truth that I kept secret for years before I had proclaimed my love for him in this same room. It only seemed right to say them again, to revive them, because they were true. It was a nice way to start again. He watched me, his eyes going softer.

"Say it again," he said, kissing my shoulder.

"I love you," I said. "Carlos."

He gave me a passionate kiss, our bodies heated and hungry for each other. We were like horny teenagers, making out for the first time.

We sat up on the bed, kissing each other in the process. Ranger… No, not Ranger. Carlos pulled my nighty over my head, revealing my breast. His hands traced the length of my body, gingerly, and gently as if enjoying a newly opened present. We made love, slowly and passionately. Our bodies took note of each others' moves.

Sometime during the night, I snuggled against him, panting a little. He put his arm around me and pressed a kiss on my shoulder.

"How soon can we start trying for a baby?"

I couldn't tell if he was joking, so I slapped his shoulder...hard.

"Really? If you want another child so much, then you should start planning for paternity leave. Let's not mention late night feedings, time management issues, and potty training."

He just laughed, openly and happily.

"Babe." He was teasing me!

"I'm serious. It's important to me."

"Anything you want, babe." He kissed me. "As long as we are together, that's all that matters to me."

Yes, this is a good start.

-RS-

**Author's note:** Hello, Babes. We have finally come to the end of this story. Thanks for reading, reviewing, and following this fanfic. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I had a great time writing it. I hope the ending lived up to your expectations and that it was worth the wait. I hope to post an epilogue to tie up some loose ends surrounding Sofia and Lester's plot line sometime next week… I have my fingers crossed.

Mostly importantly, I would like to thank my betas, Ladyofkeegan (Joleen), JessicaRenae (Jessica), and Denise for helping complete this story. Thanks for helping me throughout the long process of completing this story. Your time is valuable and I am very grateful.

Best,

Steph


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